Italian cooking – The guide and recipes: Pasta Part 5: Shaped Pasta

Shaped pasta is available in many different sizes and specific shapes. Shaped pasta is generally found dried. The smaller sizes work well with a simple sauce but most shaped pastas can be paired with a chunkier sauce because they are sturdy enough to hold up with the other ingredients. They are also used in pasta salads and casseroles.

Fusilli – Cook for 10 to 12 minutes.

Fusilli, commonly known as Rotini in the U.S., are a variety of pasta that are formed into corkscrew or helical shapes. The word fusilli presumably comes from fuso, as traditionally it is “spun” by pressing and rolling a small rod over the thin strips of pasta to wind them around it in a corkscrew shape

Fusilli with Spinach, Artichokes, Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Italian Fusilli with Spinach, Artichokes, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Capers, Garlic, and Pine Nuts!  This 30-minute vegetarian pasta is packed with veggies!

fusilli

artichoke hearts

pine nuts

capers

Fusilli Alla Caprese

Simple yet spectacular, this fusilli alla Caprese requires just a handful of ingredients, comes together quickly, and is delicious hot or cold.

fusilli pasta

mozzarella pearls

Orecchiette – Cook for 9 to 12 minutes

Orecchiette are a pasta typical of Apulia, a region of Southern Italy. Their name comes from their shape, which resembles a small ear.

Orecchiette Pasta with Broccoli

This simple orecchiette pasta with broccoli gets lovely flavor from white wine. Skip the cheese to make it vegan, and use gluten-free pasta to make it gluten-free.

orecchiette pasta

Creamy Kale Pepita Pesto

Farfalle – Cook for 8 to 10 minutes

Farfalle are a type of pasta/noodle commonly known as bow-tie pasta or butterfly pasta. The name is derived from the Italian word farfalle. In the Italian city of Modena, farfalle are known as strichetti. A larger variation of farfalle is known as farfalloni, while the miniature version is called farfalline

Creamy Mushroom Farfalle Pasta

Creamy Mushroom Farfalle Pasta is a simple, easy to make meatless Italian dinner of mushrooms, scallions and seasonings tossed with noodles in a creamy parmesan sauce.

farfalle

dried thyme

minced garlic

Cavatelli – Cook for 13 to 16 minutes

Cavatelli are small pasta shells from eggless semolina dough that look like miniature hot dog buns, commonly cooked with garlic and broccoli or broccoli rabe. A variant adds ricotta cheese to the dough mix

Broccoli & Cavatelli

Garlicky broccoli and cavatelli just like my mom used to make: a fast and easy dish loaded with garlic and Parmesan cheese!

frozen cavatelli

Strozzapreti – Cook for 10 to 12 minutes.

Strozzapreti are an elongated form of cavatelli, or hand-rolled pasta typical of the Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Marche and Umbria regions of Italy as well as in the state of San Marino. The name is also used for a baked cheese and vegetable dumpling, prepared in some regions of Italy and on the French island of Corsica

Strozzapreti with Creamy Pasta Sauce & Clams

A rich and creamy pasta sauce made with a simple marinara, cream, and Parmesan cheese. Tossed with littleneck clams and strozzapreti.

strozzapreti pasta

marinara sauce

Conchiglie – Cook for 10 to 12 minutes.

Conchiglie, commonly known as “shells” or “seashells”, is a type of pasta. It is usually sold in the plain durum wheat variety, and also in colored varieties which use natural pigments, such as tomato extract, squid ink or spinach extract. The shell shape of the pasta allows the sauce to adhere to it

Chicken & Bacon Pasta

Pasta shells coasted in creamy Parmesan sauce flavored with bacon, then topped with pan fried chicken breast.

Conchiglie

tomato paste

dried basil

Casarecce – Cook for 10 to 12 minutes

Casarecce originates from Sicily, and are short twists of pasta, which appear rolled up on themselves

Casarecce Pasta With Broccolini Rabe

Simple casarecce pasta with broccolini rabe in a rich vegan butter sauce

casarecce

broccolini rabe

Trofie – Cook for 11 to 13 minutes

Trofie is a short, thin, twisted pasta from Liguria, Northern Italy.

Trofie with Walnut Sauce

A recipe for a delicious walnut sauce

Trofie

Parmigiano Reggiano

walnuts

Campanelle – Cook for 7 to 10 minutes.

Campanelle, is a type of pasta which is shaped like a cone with a ruffled edge, or a bell-like flower. It is also sometimes referred to as gigli. It is intended to be served with a thick sauce, or in a casserole. In Italian, campanelle can also refer to “handbells.”

Campanella with Mushroom Sauce

shiitake mushrooms

unsalted butter

dried porcini mushrooms

campanelle pasta

Gemelli – Cook for 8 to 10 minutes

Gemelli are a type of pasta. The name derives from the Italian word for “twins”. Gemelli are not twin tubes twisted around one another, as they may appear to be, but rather a single s-shaped strand twisted into a spiral

Fresh Herb Gemelli Pasta

Fresh herbs, olive oil, and gemelli pasta. Simple and perfect.

gemelli pasta