Favorite Pasta Shapes

[Alice Levitt]

I was trained from infancy by my mother to believe that the cuter or more whimsical the pasta shape, the better it tasted. I guess I should mention that she has no sense of smell and therefore little sense of taste. However, I do feel that the quality of my noodle experience is colored by texture and shape.

As far as I'm concerned, angel hair is pretty worthless. Give me papardelle or tagliatelle any day. For smaller bites, nothing is as comforting as good old Amish egg noodles or farfallone. Of course, gnocchi and spaetzle are a whole other, deeply important subject. What are your pasta preferences?

[Undead Molly]

I choose a pasta shape based primarily on what will best compliment the sauce, of course, but we are also suckers for novelty. For instance, we've been delighted by Barilla's piccolini line that is miniature versions of five classic shapes. I'm also very find of ridged cavatappi and use it in place of macaroni and rotini in all sorts of things.

No angel hair? Really? I love it for lighter, delicate spring-time sauces that would get totally lost on a thicker strand.

[Morganna]

I like farfalle and angel hair best.

[davevt]

Ever since I had the Bucatini at the Trat, I've been won over. Perhaps it's just the fact that their preparation is the perfect representation of pasta, always cooked to the exact level of al dente. Or perhaps there really is something better about Bucatini... the world may never know.

[shanebond]

like all except the black stuff with the octopus ink in it...yuk!!

But would pick spiralli (penne like tubes but twisted into spirals).

Mind you most taste the same just depends on the type of sauce you are having as to what goes best.
e.g carbonara goes best with taglitelli
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