Type

Description

Acini Di Pepe Pasta

Extremely small ball like shapes of pasta, mainly used in soups/broths and salads. Sometimes referred to as pastina (Italian for ‘tiny dough’)

Agnolotti Pasta

Small stuffed pasta shaped like a half moon. Comes in different varieties an stuffed with a range of fillings such as cheese and meat

Alfabeto Pasta

These are basically alphabet shapes for kids

Anellini Pasta

Used in mainly soups, these are tiny rings of pasta

Armoniche Rigatoni Pasta

Peculiar looking shaped pasta that are cylindrical in shape but with ridges.

Bow Tie Pasta

As the name suggests, shaped like bow ties. Also called Farfalle which is the Italian name for butterfly

Bucatini Pasta

Slightly thicker than spaghetti that represent drinking straws

Calamaretti Pasta

These are dark coloured thick pasta rings dyed with squid ink

Candele Pasta

Representing the length of a typical candle, these are long hollow tubes

Cannelloni Pasta

Popular large tubes that are stuffed with a variety of fillings and covered with a sauce

Cannerozzetti Pasta

A tubular pasta with ridges

Capello D’Angelo Pasta

Very fine strings of pasta, also known as ‘angel’s hair’

Capellini Pasta

As above but with slightly thicker strands

Capunti Pasta

A rolled small pasta that resembles a pea pod

Casarecci Pasta

Long thin twists

Castellane Pasta

A shell shape that the shell of a small Italian crab

Cassuli Pasta

A raised ridged and curved pasta

Cavatappi Pasta

A tubular pasta that is spiral shaped

Cavatelli Pasta

Small folded pasta pieces

Cavaturi Pasta

Small rolled pasta pieces

Cellentani Pasta

A ridged surfaced tubular pasta with a ‘curly whirly’ effect

Cellophane Noodles

Cooked like rice noodles, these threads are made of mung beans

Chitarra Pasta

This rectangular stranded pasta is slightly thinner than spaghetti

Conchiglie Pasta

These are popular shell shaped pastas which comes in a few sizes (larger types are used for stuffing)

Corallini Pasta

Small tubular pasta found in stews and soups

Corzetti Pasta

Flattened pasta that resembles small roman coins

Couscous

Couscous is actually small grains of pasta made from semolina wheat.

Ditali Pasta

Large tubular pasta

Ditalini Pasta

Very small ‘bead like’ tubular shapes

Dumpling

Balls of dough used in stews, casseroles and soups

Elbow Macaroni Pasta

Curved, tubular semi circle macaroni

Eliche Pasta

Folded and ridged twisted shape

Elicoidali Pasta

A type of rigatoni with a grooved surface

Farfalle Pasta

See bow tie pasta

Farfalloni Pasta

As above but large

Fettuccine Pasta

Ribboned pasta that is like flattened spaghetti. A very popular pasta

Fregula Pasta

A rough textured pasta similar to couscous

Fusilli Pasta

A ‘corkscrew’ shape pasta that comes in different colours. Very popular

Fusilli Bucati Pasta

Another drinking straw shaped pasta who’s spirals hold tiny holes

Fusilli Napoletani Pasta

As above but without centre hole

Fusilloni Pasta

These are very large corkscrew shaped pastas

Galletti Pasta

Tubes of rough pasta in a semi circle

Garganelli Pasta

Taken from the penne design, with or without ridges

Gemelli Pasta

Two pastas fused together to create one short plaited strand

Girasole Pasta

A form of ravioli but taking the shape of a sunflower

Gnocchi Pasta

Another form of dumplings, Italian style

Gramigna Pasta

Pasta twirls made from semilona

Lasagna Pasta

Wide flat sheets of pasta that are used to layer cheese and pasta sauce. Comes in plain, spinach and tomato

Lasagnotte Pasta

Similar to Lasagna but broken into large pieces for the purpose of boiling

Linguine Pasta

Sometimes called flat spaghetti. It is a long stranded square pasta

Lumaconi Pasta

Large basket shaped shell balls that are stuffed with a choice of fillings

Macaroni Pasta

Very common pasta that just uses semolina and water. Tube shaped.

Malloreddus Pasta

Around ½ inch long and look like small worms. Have a ridged surface

Manicotti Pasta

Large tubular shaped pasta similar to cannelloni. Stuffed with a variety of fillings and covered in sauce

Maritati Pasta

The fusion of two shaped pasta taken from orecchiette and cavaturi

Mezzalune Pasta

Crescent moon shaped pasta used for stuffing

Mezzi Rigatoni Pasta

The same as rigatoni but half the size.

Mezzi Tubetti Pasta

Small tubular short pasta

Mostaccioli Pasta

Thin tubular pasta with slanted ends that are cut diagonally

Noodles Pasta

A whole range of different noodles exist, from Italy to Asia

Occhi Di Lupo Pasta

Large penne type pasta

Orecchiette Pasta

Little ‘shell like’ pasta, slightly ridged

Orzo Pasta

A rice shaped pasta which is made from semolina

Paccheri Pasta

Large ridged tube pasta

Paglia E Fieno Pasta

Tagliatelle strand type pasta which forms nest type shapes

Pappardelle Pasta

Strandy egg noodle type pasta

Pansotti Pasta

Triangular ravioli crimpled around the edges.

Pastina Pasta

These are the tiniest pasta shapes made and are shaped like stars

Penne Pasta

Very popular pasta and consists of a two inch tubular pasta which are usually straight.

Penne Rigate Pasta

As above but ridged

Pennette Pasta

As above but smaller

Pennoni Pasta

As above but much bigger

Perciatelli Pasta

A plump, heavy strand of pasta that’s hollow

Pierogi Pasta

Dumplings shaped in crescent moons that are very popular in Poland and some of the Baltic States. Usually filled with cheese and potatoes

Quadrucci Pasta

Tube shaped pasta that comes in a variety of different sizes

Radiatore Pasta

Strange little shapes that resemble ‘little radiators’ (hence the Italian name) meaning that pasta shards are seen protruding outwards

Ramen Pasta

These are noodles made from wheat and originate from Japan

Ravioli Pasta

This ever popular stuffed pasta need no introduction but just in case, they are little ‘pillow shaped’ pieces filled cheese, meat, vegetables etc.

Raviolini Pasta

As above but smaller

Ravioloni

As above but larger

Riccia Larga Pasta

Lasagna noodles with frills at the edges. Medium size

Rigatoncini Pasta

A smaller thinner version that rigatoni (below)

Rigatoni Pasta

Popular pasta shape, tubular, slightly curved, ridged

Rotini Pasta

Spiral, twisted shapes about an inch long

Ruote Pasta

Also known as wagon wheels (or how about those little cheese holders you get in Trivial Pursuit!). Clearly very popular with kids

Sacchette Pasta

Small pasta sacks similar to a ‘beggar’s purse’ that are filled with different types of fillings (like ravioli)

Sagne Pasta

Long strips of curly type ringlets wrapped around one long strip

Seme Di Melone Pasta

Small seed like pasta pieces used for soups

Spaccatelli Pasta

A long thin tubular pasta that is distinctive by the slit running down the side

Spaghetti Pasta

The most popular pasta of all time. Long thin round strips which range in length. Extremely versatile

Spaghetti A Matassa

As above but flattened and nested

Spaghetti Tagliati Pasta

Very fine small lengths of pasta used in soups such as minestrone

Spaghetti Nero Di Sepia Pasta

Black spaghetti coloured by using squid ink

Spaghettini Pasta

Like spaghetti but very thin

Spaghettoni Pasta

Like spaghetti but thicker and heavier

Spaetzle Pasta

Small rolled out slithers of tiny noodles

Strangozzi Pasta

A strand type egg pasta

Strozzapreti Pasta

Tubular pasta with a twist!

Tagliatelle Pasta

Another popular pasta which is long flat pasta shaped into nests

Tagliarini Pasta

As above but thinner

Torchietti Pasta

Small bell shaped noodles

Torcoletti Pasta

A simple twisted pasta shape

Tortellini Pasta

Small folded pasta shapes, resembling little ‘cowboy hats’ packed with a variety of fillings

Tortelloni Pasta

As above but larger

Tortiglioni Pasta

Oven cooked twisted tubular spirals

Trenne Pasta

Strange modern take on penne with these small tubes shaped into a three sided triangle

Trofie Pasta

A simple rolled pasta

Trofiette Pasta

As above but rolled thinner

Trottole Pasta

Strange shaped pasta that has a column in the centre connected by twisted rings

Tubetti Rigati Pasta

Small tube like pasta

Tubettini Pasta

Used in soups, these are small tiny tubes

Ventagli Pasta

A ribbon pasta with a distinctive spirally edge

Vermicelli Pasta

Another version of spaghetti but a little thinner

Ziti Pasta

Long, thin tubular shapes that are of medium size

Zitoni Pasta

Long tubular pasta