Pasta Primer

By Text: Julianna Grimes
February 17, 2009
Credit: Lee Harrelson
Learn about common pasta shapes and how to pair them with the proper sauce.
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Short Pastas

Credit: Lee Harrelson
Pasta can be a wide variety of shapes and sizes, but generally speaking, it can be divided into two broad categories: short pasta and strands. Italians usually pair short pasta with chunky sauces. As for toppings, Italians serve most pasta dishes with good quality extra-virgin olive oil and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese at the table. There’s one broad exception: no grated cheese with fish or shellfish. Use sautéed breadcrumbs (sometimes called the poor man’s Parmesan) to provide an extra dimension of flavor and crunchy texture instead.

Types of short pasta include: casareccia, cavatappi, gemelli, gigli, orecchiette, penne, penne rigate, rigatoni, and rotini.

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Short-Pasta Sauces

Credit: Lee Harrelson
Try these sauces with any kind of short pasta.

Sausage, Leeks, and Fontina (pictured)
Beet Greens and Raisins
Morel Mushroom Sauce
Spiced Tomato Sauce
Fresh Fava Beans, Ricotta, and Shredded Mint

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Strand Pastas

Credit: Lee Harrelson
A general guideline is that smooth sauces are the traditional partner for strands. Flat pasta like linguine is usually paired with seafood. But in Italy, rules are made to be broken: Spaghetti is the pasta of choice for most Italians, no matter what sauce they’re having.

Types of strand pasta include: bucatini, fettuccine, fusilli (which also comes in a short version), linguine, pappardelle, spaghetti, and tagliatelle.

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Strand-Pasta Sauces

Credit: Lee Harrelson
Pair any kind of strand pasta with these sauces.

Bolognese (pictured)
Tomato Sauce
Basil, Arugula, and Walnut Pesto
Carbonara
Mussels and Red Pepper Sauce

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By Text: Julianna Grimes