Pasta comes in many forms and each pasta type is unique, varying in terms of width, length, and texture. Let’s learn about several classic pasta types, including tonnarelli, fettuccine, tortellini, and spaghetti.
Pappardelle: Large, broad, flat noodles, wider than fettuccine. Often made with egg added to the dough.
Characteristics: These long, flat ribbons are wider than linguine but thinner than tagliatelle. Theyre created by rolling pasta dough out into a sheet and cutting it into strips. Fettuccine Alfredo is probably the most well-known dish using the noodle. Named after a Roman restaurateur, the Alfredo sauce luxuriously coats the strands with a combination of cream, butter, and cheese.
Characteristics: With their cuplike shape, orecchiette (“little ears”) are great for holding a ragu or any sauce that is made with small vegetables like peas or chopped spinach.
Characteristics: These long, round strands are the most popular type of pasta in the United States. Spaghetti means “little twine,” and variations include spaghettini (thinner), spaghettoni (thicker), bucatini (thicker and straw-like, with a hollow center), capellini (very thin) and angels hair (thinnest). Spaghetti is traditionally served with simple, thin sauces such as olive oil or marinara (tomato sauce).
Characteristics: These “little tongues” are long strands like spaghetti, but flattened on two sides. Linguine is narrower than fettuccine. Its extremely versatile, and can generally be used interchangeably with spaghetti, accompanied by sauces like this herbed clam variety.
Though noodles are popular around the world, from Japan to Hungary, Italy seems to have cornered the market with more than 300 different types of pasta; we chose the nine most common, shown below. Each shape has a story, one that usually reflects its place of origin. The shape also indicates what kind of sauce works best: Thin strands such as spaghetti are especially good with thinner sauces; tube-shaped pastas are well suited for thicker sauces, as are pastas with deep ridges. Looking to enliven your standard pasta dish? Try colored and flavored pastas such as those made with squid ink, spinach, lemon, or beets or, for a healthier option, use whole-wheat pasta. For specialty shapes and flavors that may be harder to find, try an online source like igourmet.com.Lasagna (lasagne, pl.)
What is the difference between spaghetti noodles and fettuccine?
Whereas spaghetti is round and cylindrical (spaghi meaning length of a cord in italian), fettuccine is flat and wider, more similar to a ribbon shape. Although fettuccine pairs well with creamy sauces such as alfredo, the wide nature of the noodles allows it to also fit well in dishes that call for other types of robust sauces that include ingredients such as meat, seafood, or vegetables. Spaghetti and fettuccine are both very versatile in terms of the sauces that the noodles can handle. Fettuccine and spaghetti are interchangeable in most recipes depending on what you have on hand.
What Are Linguini & Fettuccini? : Italian Cooking
FAQ
Is linguine or fettuccine thicker?
What is the really thick pasta called?
What noodle is thicker than fettuccine?
What type of pasta is thick?
What is the difference between linguine and fettuccine?
Linguine: Strands of pasta with rounded edges that are wider than spaghetti. Tagliatelle: Often made of egg-enriched dough, this medium-wide and toothsome noodle can stand up to meaty sauces. Fettuccine: Flat, thick noodles with a name meaning “little ribbons” in Italian. Pappardelle: Large, broad, flat noodles, wider than fettuccine.
What is the difference between tagliatelle and fettuccine?
Tagliatelle and fettuccine belong to the category of long pasta. Other pastas with long strands include linguine, spaghetti, and bucatini. Availability: Fettuccine is easier to find in dried form at the grocery store, while tagliatelle is usually sold as fresh pasta. Can You Substitute Tagliatelle for Fettuccine?
Are linguine noodles healthier than fettuccine?
Linguine is healthier because it contains light oils and thin causes. Due to their difference in weight, linguine Fettuccine and linguine noodles pair better with different types of sauces. Here are some tips for serving these kinds of pasta.
What is fettuccine pasta?
Fettuccine is a type of pasta that means “little ribbons” in Italian. This flat pasta is popular in Rome and Tuscany in Southern Italy. Fettuccine pasta is commonly served with alfredo sauce in fettuccine alfredo, a Roman dish with a creamy sauce. It also pairs well with ragù, or tomato sauce with meat.