Pasta comes in many shapes and sizes. These traditional designs serve more than an aesthetic purpose. Each type plays a unique role in Italian food, and understanding the differences can help you maximize your dining experience. When ordering from a restaurant, use this helpful pasta guide to ensure you create the best dish.

3 Common Pasta Shapes

1. Penne

Penne was invented in 1865 in Genoa, Italy. This hollow cylindrical pasta is cut into short pieces with diagonal ends. The name means both “feather” and “pen” in Italian, as the shape looks like the end of a quill. Penne is often available with smooth sides (penne lisce) or with ridges (penne rigate).

This shape is featured in penne all’Arrabbiate, a spicy Roman dish. The tubular design holds sauce inside to make each bite rich and flavorful.

2. Spaghetti

Spaghetti is a recognizable and well-known pasta. The noodles are long and thin and made from milled wheat and water. Each noodle is sliced from dough, or the dough is fed through a press to create the noodles. The noodles are then boiled until soft. This shape is best served with thinner sauces that have a hint of sweetness.

Spaghetti with meatballs and marinara sauce is a quintessential Italian food. Variations include garlic spaghetti sauces, spaghetti aglio e olio, and spaghetti alla puttanesca.

3. Linguini

Linguini is long and thin like spaghetti, but it is flat and rectangular rather than cylindrical. The name means “little tongues” in Italian because the noodle is designed to pick up and hold sauces.

This option is used in classic meals like pasta alle Vongole and also pairs well with clams, Tuscan sausage, pesto sauces, shrimp, and bite-sized meats. Linguini wraps around and holds these ingredients well and is best enjoyed with creamy sauces like Alfredo.

If you’re craving Italian food, turn to Hope Pizza Restaurant in Stamford, CT. This restaurant has satisfied customers for over 30 years, serving Italian and Greek classics such as pizza, grinders and sandwiches, salads, and seafood. Explore their full menu online or call (203) 325-0660 to schedule lunch delivery. Connect on Facebook to receive news and updates.