7 Pasta Shapes We've Never Seen Before
Step away from the spaghetti and check out these gorgeous varieties, guaranteed to add something special to your favorite sauces.
By Lynn Andriani
Looking at Pasta in a Whole New Way
There are hundreds of different types of pasta available, yet we always find ourselves reaching for the familiar bow ties, ziti or linguine. And while we'd never abandon those old standbys, a new book,
Pasta by Design, by architect George L. Legendre (who shares an office with a pasta-loving Italian), makes a convincing—and beautiful—case for trying something new the next time we make macaroni and cheese (like galletti, pictured here). Legendre examines more than 90 forms of the beloved carb from a design standpoint and a culinary view, noting the mathematical formulas behind each shape and explaining why one variety is perfect for a brothy soup while another is just the thing for a meaty Bolognese. Here are six we can't wait to try (and where to find them if your grocery doesn't keep them in stock).
Anellini
As
anello means "hoop" in Italian; adding "ini" makes it diminutive. The tiny rings are less than 1/4 inch in diameter. Put them in dishes that call for orzo or pastina, like this
simple Greek soup or this
healthy salad.
Anelletti No. 56, Tomasello, $2.50 for a 16-ounce bag, Amazon.com
Rombi
This pasta (the name means "rhombuses") has two curled edges, like lasagna, but is smaller and cut on the diagonal. It works well in brothy soups, like
this one from Tyler Florence.
Rombi, Bionaturae Pasta, $3.50 for a 16-ounce bag, OrganicDirect.com
Radiatori
Known as little "radiators," these have ruffled edges. When boiled and drained, their open centers and large surface area hold thick sauces well, while their flaps sweep up and trap smaller morsels of food. They're perfect for lamb-, veal-, rabbit- or pork-based ragus, or this hefty
Bolognese Sauce.
Radiatori, DaVinci Pasta, $17 for twelve 16-ounce bags, Amazon.com
Quadrefiore
These square flowers are sturdy, with rippled edges running down their lengths. Francis Ford Coppola makes them using antique bronze molds so their texture is rugged and holds on to the sauce. They're dense and meaty and take a little longer than usual to cook: usually 15 to 18 minutes. Try them with
a thick pesto.
Mammarella Quadrefiore Pasta, Francis Coppola, $4 for a 12-ounce box, Store.FrancisCoppolaWinery.com
Calamaretti
"Little squids" are small, ring-shaped pasta, about an inch in diameter. They hold chunky and thin sauces equally well, whether tomato-based or built on eggs or cheese. Fittingly, they're often served with seafood. Let calamaretti take the place of spaghetti in
this shrimp recipe or the shells in
this seafood pasta dish.
Calamaretti, Pasta di Gragnano, $6.50 for a 17.6-ounce bag, AlmaGourmet.com
Scialatielli
A member of the fettuccine and tagliatelle family, this 4-inch-long pasta from Italy's Amalfi coast goes best with seafood, a pork or veal ragu, or
a hearty vegetarian sauce like this one.
Scialatielli, Eterni Sapori di Calabria, $3 for a 17.6-ounce bag, EterniSaporidiCalabria.com
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Published 10/31/2011
