By Deepali Verma
Pasta, a mainstay of Italian cuisine, has gained widespread popularity since its first documented use in the 13th century. It's adaptable, accessible, and gratifying, and there's a wide variety to pick from.
Spaghetti, a long, thin pasta, can be served with several sauces. This pasta goes well with meat, vegetables, garlic, and olive oil.
Penne is a round tube with diagonal incisions at either end. It's best served with thick, creamy sauces like Penne Arrabbiata because it enters the tube and holds the sauce.
Ravioli are pillow-shaped dough squares. They can be stuffed with cheese, fish, meat, or vegetables and topped with sauce, olive oil, or soup.
Linguine is flatter and more elegant than spaghetti. The greater surface area makes it ideal for cream-based sauces and seafood.
This corkscrew-shaped pasta pairs well with thick meat sauces or chunky veggies because the pieces get caught in the twirls.
Macaroni are short, curving pasta tubes. They usually float in a minestrone or cheese sauce, ready to be baked into Mac ‘n Cheese.