Depending on the quality and type of flour, pasta is divided into groups - A, B, C and classes 1 and 2. Products of group A - made from durum wheat flour (durum); group B - from flour from soft highly glassy wheat; group B - from baking wheat flour; 1st class - products made from premium flour and 2nd class - products from 1st grade flour.
When adding flavoring additives or fortifiers, the group and class of products are supplemented with the name of the additive or fortifier, for example, group A 1st class egg, group A 2nd class tomato.
Pasta products of all groups and classes are divided into four types: tubular products - in the form of tubes of various lengths and diameters; thread-like - in the form of threads of different lengths and cross-sections; ribbon-shaped - in the form of ribbons of various lengths and widths; figured - pressed and stamped of various shapes and patterns.
Tubular pasta According to shape and length, they are divided into three subtypes: pasta, horns, feathers. Pasta is a tube with a straight cut, 15-20 cm long (short) and at least 20 cm (long); There are single and double bent. The horns are a curved tube with a straight cut 1.5-4.0 cm long along the outer curve. Feathers are a tube with an oblique cut, 3 to 10 cm long, from an acute to an obtuse angle. Each subtype is divided into types depending on the cross-sectional size. Up to 4.0 mm - straws, 4.1-5.5 mm - special, 5.6-7.0 mm - ordinary and more than 7 mm - amateur. Pasta and cones are divided into straws, special, ordinary and amateur, and feathers are only special, ordinary and amateur. Pasta with a length of 5 to 13.5 cm is called scrap, and less than 5 cm is called crumb.
Thread-shaped pasta (vermicelli) depending on the cross-sectional size (in mm) they are divided into the following types: cobweb - no more than 0.8; thin - no more than 1.2; ordinary - no more than 1.5; amateur - no more than 3.0. By length, vermicelli is divided into short (at least 1.5 cm) and long (at least 20 cm), single or doubled. They also produce vermicelli arranged in the form of skeins, nests, and bows. Their weight and size are not limited. Vermicelli less than 1.5 cm long are considered crumbs.
Ribbon-shaped pasta (noodles) can be long double curved or single with a length of at least 20 cm and short with a length of at least 1.5 cm. The surface of the noodles can be smooth or grooved; edges - straight, sawtooth and wavy. The width of the noodles can be from 3 to 10 mm, the thickness - no more than 2 mm. They produce noodles in the form of nests, skeins, and bows. Noodles less than 1.5 cm in length are considered crumbs.
Figured products produced in any shape and size. Pressed products - in the form of shells, spirals, braids, doll shells, lilies, etc.; stamped products - in the form of stars, letters of the alphabet, gears, etc. The maximum thickness of any part of the products at the break should not exceed: 1.5 mm - stamped and 3.0 mm - pressed. Figured products with a shape unusual for this type are classified as deformed.
In addition to traditional pasta with a moisture content of 12%, raw pasta with a moisture content of 28% and a sell-by date of 24 hours is supplied to the world market.
The range of pasta products is being expanded by increasing nutritional value and creating new types of products for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. Protein-free products are obtained from native and swelling corn starch with the addition of fortifiers in the form of B vitamins and glycerophosphate. They are white in color, after cooking they become transparent, their surface is matte-smooth, mealy at the break. The taste is neutral, there is no smell. Recommended for Dietary nutrition for persons with renal failure.Also produced:
Products enriched with calcium in the form of food chalk or shells;
Products with a high content of dietary fiber with a high content of bran particles or whole grains, with the addition of wheat germ;
Vegetable products Mosaic with various vegetable additives: 15% tomato paste - tomato, 30% spinach and sorrel - spinach, 15% carrot juice - carrot;
Products with targeted therapeutic effects, enriched with herbal additives: bioadditives from grape skins - grape products, designed to enhance human immunoprotective functions to the effects of radiation, bioadditives from pumpkin or pumpkin and apples in the form of a paste - amber products, have a beneficial effect on gastritis, cholelithiasis, stomach ulcers, stimulate the heart.
The range of pasta products in other countries includes products with improved taste. So, a tablet consisting of table salt - 60%, vegetable concentrate - 20, sodium gluamate - 10, caramel - 1, garlic - 0.1, pepper - 0.1, flour - 0.1, powdered soy sauce - 5, glucose - 5%; whole grain products; products with fillers (meat and vegetable fillings); products seasoned with garlic, coffee, in the form of ready-made breakfast cereals called “pasta chips”; frozen products. Products for long-term storage are also produced, which are packaged in heat-resistant bags and irradiated on both sides with infrared rays at 100-160 °C for 3-4 minutes. Under the influence of infrared rays, products are sterilized, as a result of which their shelf life increases.
Cellentani and manicotti, caserecce and pipe rigate, mafaldine and stelline, soba and udon, saifun and bifun, chuzma and nuasyr - for those who treat pasta “calmly”, this is just a set of foreign words. For a true lover, this is a story about what types of pasta there are in different countries.
Today, unlike in former times, a wide variety of pasta products are presented on the shelves of shops and supermarkets. The photo below shows only a small amount of pasta, varied in shape, variety and type.
Where and when did pasta appear?
No culinary historian can name the exact date when pasta appeared in people’s diets. Today, there are hypotheses about the primacy of the Etruscans, Chinese and Arabs in the matter of the invention of pasta.
Having carefully studied the bas-reliefs of the Etruscan necropolis dating back to the 4th century BC. BC, historians have come to the conclusion that they depict utensils used to make pasta.
According to another theory, modern history begins in the 13th century, when Marco Polo returned to Venice from China. However, as early as the mid-12th century, most of Sicily's exports consisted of pasta secca. That is, even half a century before the return of the great traveler from China, Italians were already making different types of pasta.
Other historians argue that the priority in the discovery of pasta, or rather this type of noodles, belongs to China, where it was prepared even before the advent of our era. Despite the fact that there is no exact information about when and where pasta appeared, people living in many different countries and belonging to different cultures and nationalities enjoy eating it.
“National” characteristics of pasta
In the cuisine of many nations there are a variety of types of pasta and dishes in which they are used in one form or another.
For Europeans, the most beloved and familiar types are pasta made from wheat flour. They can be of various widths, lengths and shapes.
Most Asians, including the Chinese, prefer pasta made from rice flour. These are mainly types of pasta such as various lengths and widths, translucent or white.
In Japan, Kazakhstan, Central Asia and some provinces of China, long noodles, which are pulled out in a special way, are very popular. In Asia it is called “chuzma” and is used to prepare lagman.
In Japan, they happily prepare a wide variety of pasta products from a variety of types of flour. Thus, it is very popular, made from a mixture of buckwheat and rice flour and used in the preparation of many dishes. A special type of noodle is prepared from the starch of legumes - saifun.
In Arab countries, such types of pasta as reshta and noisir are popular.
For a long time, culinary experts from different parts of the world have been perfecting the art of making pasta and creating new recipes. Let's look at what pasta is.
Russian classification of pasta
Pasta products can be systematized according to various criteria and, above all, depending on the raw materials used in the manufacturing process. Pasta is in most cases made from wheat flour, but can also be made from rice, rye and corn starch.
According to Russian standards, pasta products made from wheat flour, depending on the varieties of wheat, are divided into the following groups: A, B, C. In addition, the grade of flour is the basis for distinguishing three grades of pasta - premium, first and second.
Group A usually includes pasta made from flour of the highest, first and second grades of durum wheat. The raw material for pasta of group B is flour of the highest and first grades from glassy soft wheat. For group B pasta, bakery flour of the highest and first grades is used.
In Russia, according to established GOSTs, all pasta products, depending on their shape, are divided into several types:
- curly;
- tubular;
- thread-like;
- ribbon-shaped.
Within each of these types there are several species. Figured products can be made in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Tubular pasta products include pasta itself, feathers and cones. Depending on the diameter they are divided into:
- “straw” - with a diameter of up to 4 mm;
- special - diameter from 4 mm to 5.5 mm;
- ordinary - with a diameter from 5.6 mm to 7 mm;
- amateur - with a diameter of more than 7 mm.
Thread-shaped pasta is divided into web vermicelli with a diameter of no more than 0.8 mm; thin - with a diameter of no more than 1.2 mm; ordinary - the diameter of which does not exceed 1.5 mm; amateur - with a diameter of up to 3 mm.
Ribbon pasta includes noodles, produced in various types and names. It can be with straight and wavy edges, grooved and smooth. The thickness of the noodles cannot exceed 2 mm, and any width is allowed, but not less than 3 mm.
According to Russian GOSTs, all pasta products are divided into two main groups: short, from 1.5 to 15 cm long, and long, from 15 to 50 cm. According to GOSTs, pasta can only be long, noodles and vermicelli can be either long or and short. Figured products, as well as horns and feathers, are produced only in short lengths.
Italian classification of pasta
In Italy, a slightly different classification of pasta is used than is customary in Russia. In total, there are about three hundred types of pasta in Italian cooking, but hardly anyone can name their exact number.
In Italy, all pasta is divided primarily into raw and dry. Dry pasta is stored for a long time and is sold in regular stores. In contrast, raw pasta is immediately used to prepare a particular dish.
All Italian pasta products are conventionally divided into the following subgroups:
- long;
- short;
- curly;
- fine soup paste;
- intended for baking;
- filled (stuffed) pasta.
Long pasta
Long pasta includes tubes with a diameter of 1.2 to 2 mm, such as capellini, vermicelli, spaghetti and spaghettini and bucatini.
Flat pasta in the form of ribbons of noodles, such as bavette, fettuccine, tagliatelle, linguine and pappardelle, vary in width, which varies from 3 to 13 mm.
A separate type of long flat pasta is mafaldine, which has wavy edges.
Short pasta
There are a great variety of short ones, the following types are the most popular.
Penne feathers are small tubes with a diameter of no more than 10 mm and a length of no more than 4 cm. The tips of such pasta are cut obliquely, which is why they resemble a sharpened feather. Their surface can be either smooth or corrugated.
Ditalini, which means “thimbles” in Italian. Small and very short tubes.
Rigatoni are short and long pasta tubes, wider than penne. Usually grooved.
Ziti are slightly curved tubes. They can be either short or long.
Horns (Elbow macaroni) are arched, small hollow tubes.
Figured pasta
Figured pasta in the Italian tradition can be very different in both shape and size. Let's name the most popular and frequently used forms of pasta.
Rotini are spirals, really small and short “springs”.
Fuzzili are spirals, longer than rotini, and also twisted into a “spring”. They can be of different types: long, thin, short and thick.
Cavatappi - very similar to fuzzilis, but only more elongated in length. They are hollow inside and corrugated outside.
Conchiglie means shells, and literally translated from Italian as “mollusk shell.” They differ in length and narrow internal cavity.
Lumake - snails. Indeed, they look very similar to the snail’s house from which it crawled out.
Farfalle - butterflies. We have adopted a less romantic and more prosaic name - “bows”.
Radiator - not a very tasty and romantic-sounding name - radiator, because of the grooves and grooves on each pasta.
Ruote is a wheel, our pasta of this shape is called “wheels”.
Orzo is a small pasta that looks more like rice.
We will not consider in more detail the types of Italian curly pasta, we will simply list a few more names: torchio, gemelli, malloredas, cesarizia, creste di Galli, quadrefiore and gigli.
Fine pasta (pasta) for soups
The following types of small pasta are used to season soups.
Anelli - small flat rings.
Alphabet - pasta in the shape of letters.
Corals are miniature small tubes that resemble coral in cross-section.
Stellete - stars, similar to our soup pasta of the same shape.
Filini - short strings.
Pasta for baking
Cannelloni - look like long, large-diameter tubes.
Manicotti are long tubes, like cannelloni, but with a smaller diameter.
Conciglione are the largest, one might say, giant shells.
Conchiglie are medium-sized shells.
Lumaconi are large snails.
Lasagna - flat and wide sheets, the edges of which can be either smooth or wavy.
Filled pasta - stuffed pasta
Ravioli are square-shaped dumplings made from pasta dough, very similar to ordinary Russian dumplings.
Tortellinni are small ring-shaped dumplings with a variety of fillings.
Gnocchi are small dumplings filled with mashed potatoes, cheese or spinach.
When asked what types of pasta there are, most of their fans aged 3 to 12 years will answer that they are colored. Indeed, it is children who love this kind of pasta the most! They are usually dyed with natural dyes. So, green pasta will be obtained by adding spinach juice, purple - by beet juice, black - by squid ink.
In Italy they love it and call it pasta nera. The size, shape and length of these pasta depend solely on the culinary imagination of the cook who decided to cook them.
We looked at the most commonly used types and varieties of pasta; in fact, the range of pasta products is much larger than we can imagine. Probably, the Italians themselves, with the exception of professional chefs, culinary historians and pasta production technologists, do not know what pasta is, so beloved in their homeland.
Pasta is a food product obtained by drying molded wheat dough to 11-13% moisture content. It is one of the most common foods in the world.
The classification of pasta is established according to several criteria.
Depending on the type of original wheat and the type of flour, pasta is divided into groups A, B, C and classes 1, 2:
Group A– products made from durum wheat flour;
Group B– products made from soft, highly glassy wheat flour;
Group B – products made from soft wheat baking flour;
Class 1– products made from premium flour;
Class 2– products made from grade I flour.
Thus, pasta of group A 1st class is made from premium flour obtained from durum wheat grain. Pasta of group B, 2nd class – made from grade 1 baking flour.
When making pasta using flavoring or enriching additives, the name of the corresponding additive is added to the group and class indication, for example, group B, 1st class, egg, group B, 2nd class, tomato.
Depending on the shape, pasta is divided into the following types: tubular, thread-like (vermicelli), ribbon-like (noodles) and curly. Products of all types can be long or short. Each type of product, depending on its shape, length, width, thickness, is divided into subtypes and types.
Tubular products divided into three subtypes: pasta, horns, feathers
(Fig. 1). Pasta– tubes with a straight or wavy cut (when cutting dried pasta). Depending on the length, pasta can be short (15-20 cm) and long (more than 20 cm). Horns– curved or straight tubes with a straight cut 1.5-4 cm long (amateur ones up to 10 cm). Feathers– tubes with an oblique cut. Their length from an acute angle to an obtuse angle is 3-10 cm. Tubular products of each subtype are divided into types according to cross-sectional dimensions: Straw(except feathers) – up to 4 mm, Special – 4,1-5,5, Ordinary – 4,1-7,0, Amateur– more than 7 mm. The cross-sectional shape of tubular products can be round, square, corrugated. The thickness of their walls is no more than 2.0 mm.
They can also have a varied cross-sectional shape (Fig. 2).
Based on cross-sectional dimensions (mm), vermicelli is divided into the following types: Cobweb(no more than 0.8), Thin (0,9-1,2), Ordinary(1,3-1,5), Amateur(1.6-3.0). Vermicelli is produced depending on the length Short(short cut) – at least 1.5 cm long, and Long(double bent or single) - at least 20 cm long, and if there are more than 20% of noodles in a batch with a length of less than 20 cm, it is classified as short.
Rice. 1.Tubular products:
A - Pasta; B – Horns; IN- feathers
Foreign-made long vermicelli is usually called Spaghetti.
Rice. 2.
A– long; B– short-cut
Depending on the size and shape, it is available in various types and names with a smooth or corrugated surface, with straight, sawtooth and wavy edges (Fig. 3).
The width of the noodles should be from 3 to 10 mm (the width of the “Wave” noodles is up to 25 mm). The thickness of the noodles should be no more than 2 mm. By length, noodles are classified in the same way as vermicelli, and also if there are more than 20% of noodles in a batch with a length of less than 20 cm, they are classified as short.
Rice. 3.
A– long, B– short-cut
Figured products manufactured by pressing or stamping. Figured products can be produced in any shape and size, but the maximum thickness of any part of the product in the fracture should not exceed 3.0 mm for pressed products and 1.5 mm for stamped ones (Fig. 4).
It is planned to expand the range of pasta products. In recent years, much attention has been paid to the production of enriched instant products that do not require cooking, using heat treatment at the stages of kneading and molding. Before use they are filled with hot water.
Rice. 4.4. Figured products:
A- shells, B– scallops, IN– bows (stamped),
G– others, D– soup fillings
2. Nutritional value of pasta
The nutritional value of pasta depends on the type of flour and fortification additives. Pasta products are characterized by high nutritional value, good digestibility, simplicity and speed of preparing dishes from them.
The main advantages of pasta as food products:
- ability for long-term storage (more than a year) without changing properties: pasta is not at all susceptible to staleness, is less hygroscopic than crackers, cookies and breakfast cereals, and tolerates transportation well;
— speed and ease of preparation (cooking duration, depending on the assortment, ranges from 3 to 20 minutes);
- relatively high nutritional value: a dish prepared from 100 g of dry pasta satisfies 10-15% of a person’s daily need for proteins and carbohydrates;
- high digestibility of the main nutrients of pasta - proteins and carbohydrates.
Pasta products contain insufficient amounts of essential amino acids such as lysine, methionine, threonine. Therefore, when producing pasta, much attention is paid to creating products with a balanced composition of amino acids, vitamins and minerals . Fortified products have increased nutritional value . When egg and dairy products are used as fortifying additives, the biological value of pasta increases (the content of lysine, methionine, and tryptophan increases by 25-30%).
Table 1 shows the chemical composition, nutritional and energy value of pasta.
Table 1
Chemical composition (%) and nutritional value
pasta
The quality of pasta is assessed by organoleptic and physicochemical indicators. The consumer value of pasta products is determined primarily by their appearance: color, degree of surface roughness, fracture state, correctness of shape, absence of crumbs. Indicators such as acidity and cooking properties characterize the taste of pasta; humidity and mechanical strength - the ability for long-term storage and transportation without deterioration in quality.
Organoleptic indicators. These include color, surface, fracture, shape, taste, smell, and condition of the products after cooking.
Color pasta should be uniform, without traces of unmixing. It depends on the main and additional raw materials and the conditions of the technological production process. Products of group A from durum wheat pasta flour are characterized by a more yellow color, products of group B from soft glassy wheat flour and group B from baking flour are white or slightly creamy. Adding additives, such as tomato paste, produces a beautiful orange color.
Surface should be smooth, minor roughness is allowed.
IN Kus And Smell– characteristic of this type of product without any foreign taste or smell.
Form must match the type of pasta. In pasta, feathers, vermicelli and noodles, bends and curvatures are allowed that do not impair their presentation. When determining the shape of tubular products, pay attention to the uniform thickness of the walls, soup fillings - to the same thickness of the plates, long products - to the same size and straightness.
Kink pressed dry products should be glassy. A white flour break indicates defects in the raw materials or processing of the dough. When cooking until cooked, the products should not stick together.
physical and chemical indicators characterize the quality of pasta in terms of their humidity, acidity, ash content, insoluble in 10% HC1, cooking properties, metallomagnetic impurities, and pest infestation.
Humidity pasta sent to hard-to-reach areas, as well as transported by sea, should be no more than 11%, the rest - 13%.
Acidity– no more than 4, with the addition of tomato products – no more than 10, dairy, soy – no more than 5.
Cooking properties pasta products are characterized by the duration of cooking until done, the amount of absorbed water, loss of dry matter, and the degree of stickiness. The loss of dry matter during cooking is associated with either a decrease in the nutritional value of pasta (when draining the cooking liquid when preparing second courses), or clouding of the broth (when using the products as soup dressings). The higher the density of the products, the less dry matter passes into the cooking water, the more durable they remain after cooking and the better they retain their shape. However, as the density of the products increases, the duration of cooking until cooked increases and the amount of water absorbed during cooking decreases.
The cooking properties of pasta depend on the mass fraction of gluten and its quality. With a decrease in the amount of gluten, the cooking time decreases, the strength of the welded products decreases, the loss of dry substances and the stickiness of the finished product increase. The duration of cooking until done is affected by the shape of the product: as the wall thickness of the product increases, more dry matter is lost and the cooking time increases. The greater the surface roughness of the products, the higher the loss of dry substances, but the cooking time is somewhat shorter.
The condition of products after cooking is the main indicator of quality. When cooked until cooked, the products should not lose their shape, stick together, form lumps, or fall apart at the seams. The shape retention of welded products of group A must be at least 100%, groups B and C - 95%. Cooking water should not be cloudy, as this indicates the product has lost valuable nutrients. The loss of dry substances transferred into the cooking water should not exceed 6% for products of group A and 9% for groups B and C.
In addition to the specified organoleptic and physicochemical indicators, the standard also regulates requirements for such characteristics of pasta as strength, the presence of crumbs and deformed products.
Strength pasta must ensure the preservation of their shape. Determined using a Stroganov device. It is measured by the force that must be applied in order for a product of a certain length and thickness to break. Break-resistant pasta must withstand a load of at least 600 g.
Deformed products include products with deviations from the given shape (pasta and feathers that have a longitudinal tear, crumpled ends or significant curvatures; noodles gathered into folds; figured products that are completely or partially crumpled). Deformed products in each packaging unit are allowed no more than 2% of net weight.
Crumbs include fragments, scraps, and scraps of pasta (regardless of their size). The presence of crumbs for products of groups A and B is allowed no more than 1%, group B - 3% of the net weight of each packaging unit.
In this article:
Pasta can differ from each other not only in appearance, but also in variety - more precisely, in the raw materials from which they were produced. On the packages you can find the following inscriptions: “made from premium flour” or “durum wheat is used.” In the first case, the main component is obtained by grinding parts of the grain, and in the second, from whole wheat.
Main varieties of pasta
There are standards for classifying pasta, according to which they are divided into groups and varieties. Moreover, durum wheat is used to make group A pasta, and soft wheat is used for all others.
In many countries (particularly Italy), products are made exclusively from durum varieties.
Let's take a closer look at the characteristics of the varieties:
- group A: durum wheat (highest, first and second grade);
- group B: soft wheat (highest and first grade);
- group B: wheat baking flour (highest and first grade).
According to the method of preparation they distinguish egg And dry products. Pasta products are produced in different shapes, sizes and diameters.
Based on their form, they are divided into 5 groups:
- long pasta (Fig. 2);
- short pasta (Fig. 3);
- baking pasta (Fig. 4);
- small pasta for soups (Fig. 5);
- curly pasta (Fig. 6).
The most popular representative of long pasta is spaghetti with a characteristic round cross-section and a length of more than 15 cm. In our country they are in demand bucatini- rather thin spaghetti with holes.
Tagliatelle and fettuccine are very similar in appearance and are a type of noodle that looks like long, flat ribbons.
In turn, short and curly pasta is divided into tubular (horns, feathers), thread-like (vermicelli) and ribbon products (noodles). It is worth mentioning in this variety three-dimensional products with complex configurations (ears, shells, stars, rings and much more).
European names for pasta differ from our products in their original form. Thus, farfalle is made in the shape of butterflies, and our people simply call it bows.
Many housewives associate pasta for baking with lasagne– large sheets for preparing a popular dish.
Huge tubes - cannelloni(diameter 3 cm) can also be stuffed and baked.
High-quality pasta has taste and smell, and the absence of bitterness, mold and mustiness is a prerequisite. Their color is characterized by uniformity with a yellow tint. During the cooking process, pasta should not stick together, form lumps or lose its original shape. The shelf life of pasta is as follows: without additives - for 2 years, with egg and tomato components - 1 year; with wheat germ - only 3 months.
The assortment of pasta is improved by introducing not entirely traditional raw materials into the recipe, namely food additives, dyes and new types of flour. To improve the quality of the product and meet the growing needs of customers, vitamin and mineral supplements can be used.
Pasta with medicinal effect
Every year the range of pasta products will expand due to an increase in the content of nutrients and the creation of fundamentally new types of products for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. Special pasta is being developed for the dietary nutrition of people with kidney failure. Protein-free products are made from corn starch with the addition of B vitamins.
Such products have a neutral taste without a characteristic odor.
Pasta is also produced for therapeutic and prophylactic effects:
- enriched with calcium (edible chalk or shell);
- with a high content of bran, whole grain or wheat germ;
- vegetable mosaic (with the addition of tomato paste, spinach and sorrel, carrots);
- enriched with herbal additives.
The latest variety of pasta may contain grape skin supplements– they are intended to strengthen the immune system, increase the body’s defenses and improve the general condition of the person as a whole. Pumpkin or apple additives give the pasta an amber color. A diet containing them is recommended for cholelithiasis, problems with the gastrointestinal tract and cardiac activity.
In some countries it is customary to issue improved pasta, when the package contains a tablet of table salt, vegetable concentrate, monosodium glutamate, caramel, garlic, pepper, flour, soy sauce and glucose. Products made from whole-ground grains and with a variety of fillings (meat and vegetables) are also popular. Pasta seasoned with garlic or coffee is no longer a novelty, and products in the form of breakfast cereals, the so-called “pasta chips,” are useful to eat periodically.
Long-term storage pasta is quite common, when the finished product is placed in heat-resistant packaging and irradiated with infrared rays (3 minutes). Under their influence, products are sterilized, and the shelf life is significantly increased.
The main advantages and benefits of pasta
The demand for pasta is easily explained, because they are characterized by speed of preparation and affordable price. Moreover, the image of the product is gradually changing. Just 10 years ago, they were considered far from the healthiest dish and were not recommended for the category of people who followed a diet. Today they rightfully have the honorable status of a healthy product, largely due to the fashion for Italian dishes. Sales volumes of pasta increase significantly during periods of crisis, when the population stocks up on this product with a long shelf life and at an affordable price.
Currently there are special pasta diets, because a high level of absorption of essential nutrients (proteins and carbohydrates) by the body gives a feeling of fullness for a long period of time and prevents excess weight gain. For these purposes, it is advisable to choose whole grain pasta, which is especially rich in nutrients and fiber, vitamins and phytonutrients.
According to studies, a direct relationship between the presence of whole grains in the diet and the process of weight normalization has been scientifically proven. In order for whole grain pasta to bring maximum benefits to the body, it is recommended to eat it with vegetables and leafy greens.
Today there is dozens of types of pasta, many of which are served exclusively with a specific sauce or dish. Quite often, recipes contain unfamiliar names for pasta, which can easily be replaced with an analogue from the same category. The bizarre shapes and quality of the product never cease to amaze true gourmets and simple connoisseurs of delicious food.
Pasta, or pasta, as they are now called following the Italians all over the world, has long and everywhere become one of the most popular products.
There are dozens of types of pasta, many of which are only suitable for a specific sauce or dish.
Often in recipes there are unfamiliar names for pasta and you want to know what they really look like and what they are eaten with.
This is why we have selected and described the 30 most popular types of pasta.
If you come across an unfamiliar type of noodles or hollow pasta, look at our table; any pasta from the same category can replace it.
LONG STRAIGHT PASTA
| Name | Form | In what form is it used? | How to serve |
Capellini (Capellini) | Long, round and very thin. They are sometimes also called "Angel Hair". | Only consumed hot | With light sauces, broths, or simply mixed with olive oil and boiled vegetables |
Vermicelli (vermicelli) | Long, round, thinner than spaghetti. In Italian their name means "little worms". | Served hot, sometimes cold | With light sauces or broken and mixed with vegetable salads |
Linguine (linguine) | Long, flat and narrow, slightly longer than spaghetti. Their name is translated from Italian as “little tongues” | Hot, sometimes cold | Large enough to serve with thick sauces such as marinara sauce |
Spaghetti (spaghetti) | The most popular pasta in the world: long, round and of medium thickness. Their name translates as “small ropes”. | Only hot | With tomato sauces or in casseroles |
Fettuccine | Long, flat ribbons and wider than linguine, but can be substituted for linguine in all recipes. | Only hot | With thick sauces, especially good with creamy ones |
Lasagna (lasagna) | Long and very wide, can be with straight edges or curly. The casserole made with them is called exactly the same. | Only hot | They are placed in a mold, in layers, coating each layer with thick tomato or cream sauce, and baked |
CURLY AND TINDY PASTA
Rotini (spirals) | Very short coils that look like springs made from spaghetti | Hot or cold | With very thick chunky sauces or in pasta salads |
Fusille (fusilli) | Longer than rotini, also curled. In Italian their name means "little wheels". There are different types: short and thick, short and thin, long and thin | Hot or cold | So many uses - served with almost all sauces, in soups or in pasta salad |
Pappardelle (egg noodles) | Wide long noodles. One of the few traditional types of Tuscany. They can be bought fresh (then they are cooked for just a couple of minutes) or dry. | Hot | In baked dishes, with thick sauces |
Tagliatelle (tagliatelle - egg noodles) | Same width as fettuccine or linguine, but not as flat. Classic Emilia-Romagna pasta. | Hot | In casseroles, soups, stroganoff |
HOLLOW PASTA
Ditalini (ditalini) | Small, very short tubes, their name means “thimble” in Italian. | Hot or cold | In soups or pasta salads |
Elbow macaroni (horns) | Curved, hollow cones traditionally used to make macaroni cheese | Hot or cold | In baked dishes or in pasta salads |
Perciatelli (pechutelle - long macaroni) | Long, thin and straight tubes, thicker than spaghetti | Hot | Use them instead of spaghetti with ragu sauce, other meat sauces and baked eggplant |
Ziti (ziti) | Arched tubes, but wider and longer than elbow macaroni. There is also a short version called cut ziti. | Hot or cold | Baked, in pasta salads and with thick sauces |
Penne (penne) | Straight, medium-length tubes, often with lateral grooves. They are also sometimes called mostaccioli. Their diagonal cut resembles a fountain pen, which is why they got their name | Hot | In soups, baked, with any sauces |
Rigatoni (rigatoni) | Long, short tubes, wider than penne, but also grooved | Hot | With various sauces: thick, creamy sauces are well retained in the grooves on the sides |
Cannelloni (cannelloni) | Large, long tubes, like manicotti, but larger; translated from Italian - “large reed”. | Hot | They are stuffed, usually with meat fillings, and baked with sauce |
Manicotti (manicotti) | Longer and wider than penne, they can be grooved. Manicotti is also the name of the dish itself when this particular pasta is used, as in the case of lasagna | Hot | Served stuffed with meat or cheese fillings |
PASTA IN OTHER FORMS
Alphabets (alphabet) | In the shape of small letters of the alphabet, one of the most favorite children's pasta | Hot | In soups |
Anelli (anelli) | Small rings | Hot | In soups |
Farfalle (bows) | Square pieces of paste gathered in the center to form a bow; their name is translated from Italian as “butterflies” | Hot | In soups with cereals, for example, with buckwheat, and in other dishes |
Conchiglie (shells) | Shells with a long and narrow cavity. In Italian their name means "clam shell". Comes in different sizes. | Hot or cold | In soups, baked and in pasta salads |
| They look like ordinary shells (conchiglie), but are noticeably larger. They are served in different ways, very impressively. | Hot | They are stuffed (try, for example, a mixture of ricotta, pine nuts and spinach) | |
| Both in size and shape they resemble rice, translated from Italian as “pearl barley”. | Hot | As a side dish in soups and vegetable salads | |
| With grooves and grooves like a radiator | Hot or cold | With thick creamy sauces, in soups and salads, including fruit ones | |
| Shaped like wagon wheels | Hot | In soups, goulash, salads and thick sauces | |
Pasta colorata (colored pasta) | Many of the pastas listed above come in other bright colors. They are made with the addition of food coloring. Popular food additives include eggs (egg pasta or pasta all"uovo), spinach (green pasta or pasta verde), tomatoes, beets (purple pasta or pasta viola), carrots (red pasta or pasta rossa), winter squash (orange pasta or pasta arancione), squid ink (black pasta or pasta nera), truffles (truffle pasta or pasta al tartufo) and chili. | Hot or cold | Depends on the shape |
PASTA WITH FILLINGS
Agnolotti (angelotti) | Small, crescent-shaped, they, like dumplings, are stuffed with various fillings (meat, cottage cheese (ricotta), spinach, cheese) | Hot | With various sauces |
Gnocchi (gnocchi) | Translated from Italian as “little dumplings”, usually made from dough with cheese, semolina, potatoes or spinach | Hot | As a side dish and as a main dish, usually served with tomato sauces, but any other sauce will do. |
Tortellini (tortellini) | Small stuffed dumplings made from pasta dough, the corners of which are connected to form a ring or bud. You can buy them in different colors, depending on the filling. The filling can be beets, tomatoes, spinach or squid, which add color and flavor. | Hot | Boiled with a variety of thick sauces or simply served with a drizzle of olive oil, garlic, pepper, and Parmesan |
Ravioli (ravioli) | Square ravioli made from pasta dough are very similar to Russian dumplings with various fillings (either very finely ground or cut into small pieces). Their name translates as "little turnip" | Hot | Baked; simply boiled or in soup; they are served with various sauces |
