Italian pasta comes in two basic forms: macaroni (or tubular pasta) and spaghetti. Macaroni has distinctive shapes, hollows, and curves — all to capture the thick rich sauces they were designed for. (You may be familiar with that classic American dish, macaroni and cheese.). Spaghetti is strandlike.
Explore the different types of macaroni described in the chart, find out how long they need to boil in water to cook, and how to serve them.
Italian Name and Translation | Approximate Cooking Time | Serving Suggestion |
---|---|---|
Cannelloni (“large reeds”) | Cooks in 7 to 9 minutes | Stuffed with meat or cheese and baked smothered in sauce |
Ditali (“thimbles”) | Cooks in 8 to 10 minutes | Add to soups and cold pasta salads. |
Penne (“quills”) | Cooks in 10 to 12 minutes | Best coated all over with rich sauces |
Rigatoni (“large grooves”) | Cooks in 10 to 12 minutes | Excellent with tomato, meat, and vegetable sauces |
Ziti (“bridegrooms”) | Cooks in 10 to 12 minutes | Excellent in rich, baked casseroles with thick tomato sauces. |