Italian Pasta I: Long and Ribbon Pasta
There is so much to write about Italian pasta, as there are hundreds of pasta shapes in Italy, and none of them are by chance. Each shape is designed for a specific sauce or a particular regional cuisine. An Italian grandmother would never serve ragù with capellini, nor would she pair pesto with pappardelle. In this section, we will discuss long and ribbon pasta, along with their traditional uses in their homeland.
The Basic Rule
The thinner and more delicate the pasta, the lighter the sauce that suits it. The wider and thicker it is, the more robust sauces it can handle. Thin pasta pairs beautifully with oily, buttery, or light sauces, while wide ribbons hold onto thick ragùs and creamy sauces.
Long, Round Pasta
Capellini (capelli d’angelo, “angel hair”) The thinnest long pasta, cooks in 2–3 minutes. It cannot handle heavy sauces, as it will clump together. Best suited for light butter-lemon sauces, fresh tomatoes, or clear broth.
Spaghettini The thinner sibling of spaghetti. Ideal for oily sauces: aglio, olio e peperoncino (garlic, olive oil, chili), or spaghettini alle vongole, meaning with clams.
Spaghetti The all-purpose pasta, but not suitable for everything. The base for classic Roman pasta dishes: carbonara, cacio e pepe (pecorino and pepper), aglio e olio, and it pairs well with tomato sauces like pomodoro and puttanesca.
Spaghettoni Thicker spaghetti, chewier, can handle more sauce. Many Roman chefs choose this for carbonara and gricia pasta (guanciale and pecorino).
Bucatini Thick, long pasta with a thin hole running through it, making it saucy inside and out. The pasta for Roman amatriciana: tomato, guanciale, and pecorino.
Pici A Tuscan, hand-rolled, thick, slightly uneven pasta, often made without eggs. Suited for strong, simple sauces: pici all’aglione (garlicky tomato), or cacio e pepe.
Long, Flat Pasta
Linguine Flat spaghetti with an oval cross-section. Originating from Liguria, it became the classic pasta for seafood: with clams, shrimp, or squid sauces. It also pairs wonderfully with pesto.
Trenette and Bavette Similar flat long pastas to linguine. Trenette al pesto genovese is a Ligurian classic: basil pesto, boiled potatoes, and green beans, cooked together with the pasta.
Spaghetti alla Chitarra Abruzzese pasta with a square cross-section. Named after the tool (chitarra) resembling a guitar, which is used to cut it. Served with lamb or meatball ragù.
Ribbon Pasta (mostly egg-based)
Tagliolini (tajarin in Piedmont) Thin, golden-yellow ribbon pasta made with many egg yolks. In Piedmont, it is often served with butter and freshly grated white truffle during the autumn harvest.
Fettuccine Roman egg ribbon pasta, slightly thicker than tagliatelle. The famous “Alfredo” originally referred simply to fettuccine al burro: butter, parmesan, and a little cooking water, without cream. It is also common with ragù.
Tagliatelle The pride of Bologna, approximately half to one centimeter wide egg ribbon. Here comes the big misconception: in Bologna, ragù is not eaten with spaghetti, but with tagliatelle. Tagliatelle al ragù is the original, as the wide, rough ribbon holds the minced meat sauce. It is also classic with porcini mushrooms, butter, and sage.
Pappardelle The widest ribbon, 2–3 centimeters. The pasta for heavy, deeply flavored sauces: wild boar or rabbit ragù, duck ragù, mushroom, and game sauces. An essential dish during the autumn hunting season in Tuscany.
Quick Reference Table
| Pasta | Shape | Classic Use |
| Capellini | hair-thin | butter-lemon, broth |
| Spaghettini | thin | aglio e olio, vongole |
| Spaghetti | medium | carbonara, cacio e pepe, pomodoro, puttanesca |
| Spaghettoni | thick | carbonara, gricia |
| Bucatini | thick, hollow | amatriciana |
| Pici | thick, hand-rolled | aglione, cacio e pepe |
| Linguine | flat | seafood, pesto |
| Trenette, bavette | flat | pesto genovese |
| Chitarra | square | lamb or meatball ragù |
| Tagliolini | thin ribbon | butter and truffle |
| Fettuccine | medium ribbon | butter and parmesan, ragù |
| Tagliatelle | medium ribbon | Bolognese ragù, porcini |
| Pappardelle | wide ribbon | wild and duck ragù, mushroom sauces |
Three Tips for Long Pasta
- Do not break the spaghetti. If it doesn’t fit in the pot, wait half a minute, and as the end in the water softens, it will slide in by itself.
- Measure the sauce to the pasta. Toss the long pasta in the sauce, not on the plate. The sauce should coat it, but the pasta shouldn’t be swimming in it.
- Serve with tongs. Use tongs or a fork to twirl a mound in the center of the plate, making it tall and preventing it from cooling too quickly.
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