There's more to pastas than meets the eye...

(Published on 10 October 2006 in 'Life' - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Going to Europe on a vacation calls for excitement, and a rush of adrenaline. For months… every conversation indulged in somehow trickles down to Europe. My friend was leaving on a three month sojourn to Italy… and as a result we were treated to an overdose of information on Europe for months on end prior to her date of departure. By the time she finally did leave our shores… we all were adept thanks to our proficient (and over-excited) mate.

The one good thing that did come about from her trip was that I learnt a lot about pastas. Earlier all pastas broadly fell into two broad categories. But I soon realised that there was more to pastas than met the eye.

Pastas are available in many different shapes and sizes. Majority of pasta forms that are available originated in Italy. They are available in shapes that resemble shells, bow ties, spirals and tubes. Pastas with basic shapes should be accompanied with a plain sauce, while most shaped pastas can be savoured with a chunkier sauce. Examples of shaped pastas are:

Farfalle - shaped like a bow tie
Fusilli – shaped like a spring
Gemelli – spiral shaped, two strands twisted together
Gnocchetti – shaped like a curved shell
Conchiglie – shaped like a conch
Gramigna – strand shaped like a comma
Lumaconi & Lumache – shaped like a snail
Orecchiette – ear shaped meaning little ear
Radiatori – small chunky pieces that resembles the grill of a radiator
Ruote – shaped like a six spoke cartwheel
Rotini – tightly twisted spring

Tubular pastas are in the shape of a tube. Some tubes are long and narrow while others are short and wide. Tubular pastas have either smooth or grooved exteriors and their ends could either be cut straight or at an angle. They are often served with a heavy sauce, which stays well in the hollows of the pasta tubes. Some of the larger tubes can be stuffed and then baked. Examples: Canneroni, penne, trenne, cannolicchi, cavatappi, garganelli, macaroni, maccheroncelli, manicotti, paccheri, rigatoni, tortiglioni, and ziti

Ribbon pastas consist of flat strands of pasta, which are available in different lengths, widths and thickness. Ribbon pasta can have straight or wavy edges. The dried ribbons are generally used with a thick, heavier sauce and the fresh ribbons are served with a more delicate sauce. Examples: Fettuccine, lasagne, linguine, pappardelle, riginette, tagliatelle, and trenette

Pasta strands are long rods of pasta. The basic difference from one variety to the next is the thickness of the strands. The thicker strands work well with a heavier sauce while the thin varieties are better with a more delicate sauce. Examples: Capellini, chitarra, fedelini, spaghetti, and vermicelli

Soup pastas consist of pasta shapes that range in size from small to very tiny. The larger of the soup pastas are used in thicker based soups. Soup pastas include many shapes, such as round balls, thin strands, tubes, rings, grain-shapes, bow ties and stars. Examples: Stortini, acini di pepe, orzo, anellini, conchigliette, ditali, farfalline, pastine and tubetti.

Stuffed pastas consist of fresh pasta sheets that are stuffed with a filling. Some sheets are folded over the filling and then twisted to form a little crown shaped pasta. Stuffed pastas are formed in different shapes, such as squares, circles, triangles and half moons. They are stuffed with a variety of fillings, such as meats, cheeses, herbs, mushrooms, and vegetables. Examples: Ravioli, agnolotti, pansotti, tortelli, and tortellini

The next time you visit an Italian restaurant – don’t just stick to pizzas and spaghetti to hide your ignorance. And remember, most Italian tables would be incomplete without wine!

And here’s a quick lesson to astonish your guests with some perfect Italian!

>Apri il vino (open the wine bottle): a good glass of wine to accompany your meal.

>Cin! or Alla Salute!: the Italian toast, like saying "Cheers!"

>Buon appetito (have a good meal): before a dinner say this to the whole company and expect the same answer in return.

>Complimenti alla cuoca (compliments to the cook): after enjoying an excellent meal, say this to compliment the lady chef to demonstrate your appreciation. The male version is "com-plee-men-tee al coo-oko".

Viva Italia!