Did you know that there are more than 600 different pasta shapes?
Aglio e Olio With Linguine
Pasta ranks high on the list of universal favorite foods, right up there with pizza, fried chicken, ice cream, and sushi. However, it wasn't always such a common food in the United States.
Thomas Jefferson first introduced macaroni to the states in 1789. Jefferson had a penchant for mac and cheese and imported both macaroni and Parmesan for his use at his estate in Virginia. In 1802, Jefferson even served "a pie called macaroni" at a state dinner.
American’s love for macaroni and cheese runs deep, but did you know that there are more than 600 different pasta shapes vying for our attention.
The reason there are so many pasta forms is that the weight, texture, size, and shape all contribute to the way in which the build holds onto sauce. For instance, light and creamy sauces cling best to long and skinny pasta strands like spaghetti and linguine, and tubular shapes like rigatoni and penne are better suited for thick, chunky sauces that trap the goodness within their voids.
Whichever shape you prefer, revel in this gift from Italian culture by digging into a bowl of your favorite pasta. Here are 20 of our favorites.
— Editor Rachael Pack contributed to this roundup.
RELATED LINKS