Have you ever wondered what pasta is best suited to meat based ragù sauces or what pasta to use with fish and shellfish based sauces? Hopefully the list below will help clarify some of the confusion surrounding pasta and it's uses.



1. Tripoline Nest, have a curled shape on one side and are said to originate from the Campania region. The curled part has an important role in holding the majority of sauce onto the pasta. Hence, Tripoline is excellent with meat ragùs.

2. Risoni, is used most traditionally in soups and is also suitable for light and tasty broths. It is also recommended with thick creamy soups.

3. Penne, is a specialty from the Campania region and their ideal sauce is meat ragù of pork, veal, sausage, stew or mushrooms.

4. Capellini, is typical of the areas surrounding Genoa, Rome and Naples. Very simple sauces such as butter and cheese, or melted butter with cheese and sage typically suit this kind of pasta. Other perfect matches are egg based sauces or fresh tomato based sauces.

5. Spaghetti, this cut comes from southern Italy, specifically from Naples. The perfect match for this pasta type is a either cold or warm fresh tomato, vegetable or herb based sauces. Excellent also with quickly made sauces, with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, chili and anchovies. Also superb with fish and shellfish based sauces.

6. Rigatoni, originally come from the Campania region and it is an adaptable cut and is suitable with tomato or vegetable based sauces. Rigatoni is best suited to meat based sauces such as meat and mushrooms, veal and pork, sausage and fowl ragùs. Best are liquid based sauces able to cling to the pasta's ridges.

7. Angels Hair Nest, is one of the most delicate formats among the long nest pasta cuts. Angel Hair characteristically is recommended for children from nine months onwards because of its ability to help young children to adapt to adult food. It is also suitable for broth-based recipes and white egg, butter and cheese sauces, melted butter with sage, Parmesan and smoked ricotta. 

8. Orecchiette, is the most typical pasta cut of Puglia and in traditional recipes Orecchiette are blanched together broccoli or potatoes and dressed with a tomato based sauce, sprinkled with Pecorino or they are great with just oil and garlic. They are also called "Recchie" and served with vegetable or lamb ragu and ricotta cheese.

9. Casareccia, is said to originate from Sicily and the delicate sheltered design makes it ideal for sauces to huddle inside. Perfect with traditional Mediterranean sauces, Casarecce also exalts the delicate vegetable sauces.

10. Tortellini ai Formaggi (cheese), are made with a layer of pasta and are filled with a  blend of Emmenthal, Swiss and Grana Padano cheese. Tortellini is ideal with classic seasoning such as cream, ham and peas, or more particular sauces with a base of aromatic sour cream subtly scented with chopped chives, or with a Mediterranean flavour of sole fish and dried tomatoes.

11. Conchiglie Rigate, belong to the creative shaped pasta cuts and are typical of the Campania region and are named after their shell-like shape. They are excellent with light tomato based sauces, with ricotta and pesto Genovese.

Information courtesy of De Cecco and Barilla.