According to pasta experts, there are roughly 350 different pasta shapes and over 1,200 names for each! That being said, each one comes in a figure that’s easy to categorise – long and thin, shell shaped, grooved or smooth. As all our chefs at Hugo’s know, pairing your favourite sauce with the right type of pasta can make all the difference in taste and appeal. Read on to discover some top pasta tips brought to you by Hugo Chetcuti’s team.
Long and thin
Skinny pasta goes best with seafood, cream or oiled based sauces which complement the lightness of the strands, thus ensuring that the fork won’t be too weighed down when handling the food.
Flat and long
Ribboned pasta stands up well to sauces that are rich and creamy; the stronger the sauce, the wider the shape should be. Therefore, the flatter pappardelle and tagliatelle are well suited to chunky and meaty recipes, whereas simpler and less complex concoctions are best paired with fettucine or mafaldine.
Short and tubed
These shapes go great with thick and heavy sauces as the tubes act as holding spaces to support the weight. This is why baked cheese dishes are almost always matched with macaroni or rigatoni. In fact, garganelli and penne (not to be confused with each other) are the best combination for bolognese, and not spaghetti. Italian chefs often prefer to serve ragu with shell shapes such as conchiglie and lumache for the same reasons.
Filled pasta
Ravioli and tortellini are practically complete meals in themselves, packed with ham, cheese, meat and other ingredients. Because of this, they’re normally served with light butter or oil sauces so as not to overpower the flavour of the pasta’s filling.
Satisfy your pasta cravings at Hugo’s Pizza & Pasta
Sample the best pasta and sauce combos at Hugo’s Pizza and Pasta in St. Julian’s – owned by Hugo Chetcuti. We’ve grouped together the most satisfying pairings – try out our truly ravishing ravioli and don’t miss out on the tempting tagliatelle. Hugo Chetcuti also recommends the Asian Pappardelle with chicken breast as well as the Ricotta Ravioli with grilled beef fillet steak and fresh spinach. Experience pasta as it was meant to be served: the Italian way.
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