The Different Types of Long Pasta
On certain days, we don't feel like making a full-fledged dinner and on those days the best option is making pasta and boiling noodles, which becomes a classic yet simple dinner. However, with availability of so many different varieties of pasta, it can be difficult to decide which one to choose. So, let us look at most common types of pasta so that you can select one as per your preferences.
Different Types of Long Pasta
Pasta is available in a variety of shapes and types. It is easy to pair pasta with tomato and marinara sauces or you can be more creative and utilize herby, creamy concoctions. You also have the freedom to utilize your imagination and blend different noodles with different sauces. Moreover, you can include proteins and veggies in your pasta recipes. Thus, pasta is one of the dishes which lets you experiment.
Let us look at different types of long pasta.
Pasta is normally grouped into different categories, which are dumpling, stuffed, sheet, long, and short pasta. Long pasta is made using an extruder or hand-rolled.
Angel's Hair Pasta
It is thin and long, generally thinner compared to spaghetti. It tastes the best with cream sauces and something that has light oil base. If paired with something too chunky then it will get overpowered. You can easily setup an Italian dinner by pairing Angel's hair pasta with a homemade marinara sauce. You can have protein addition in the dish in the form of shrimp scampi or shredded chicken.
Bucatini
It is similar in appearance to spaghetti, but more round with a hole in the center. It is also a little bit thicker compared to traditional spaghetti. The good thing about bucatini is that it is able to hold extra sauce when it is cooked in pasta dishes and soups.
Fettuccine
If you are fond of spaghetti noodle that is flat, then it refers to fettuccine. It is a dense and thicker noodle. Being wide, it goes well with meat sauces. Of course, if you toss in creamy alfredo sauce with fettuccine, then it will be an excellent combination.
Spaghetti
Cylindrically shaped, it is a form of pasta that everyone loves. It has a thickness that falls between that of bucatini and angel's hair. A classic combination for spaghetti are the meat balls.
Linguine
It looks like fettuccine, but when we properly compare, we find it that linguine is not that wide. Linguine is a frequent noodle that pairs sea food dishes, blended with mussels, clams, and white wine sauces. The tastes increases manifold when any white wine or cream based sauce is used with this pasta.
Pappardelle
If you always thought fettuccine is the widest of long pasta, its time to change that belief. Pappardelle is wide enough to mesh well with meat based rich sauces. For instance, you will find pappardelle used in bolognese or ragu. However, it is also a great choice for dishes which are sea food based. Being wider and sturdy, it goes well with any type of sauce.
Tagliatelle
It is difficult to differentiate between fettuccine and tagliatelle. Both appear to be flattened spaghetti and have similar width. However, tagliatelle is a bit thicker and works well with meat sauces which are thick by nature. But, it works equally well with tomato or cream sauce.
Vermicelli
Skinny and thin, these are characteristic features of vermicelli. If you are planning spaghetti like dish, then all you will have to do is toss them with canned tomatoes and olive oil. You can also use them in soups and stir-fry’s.
As we can see, there are different types of pasta to choose from depending upon your personal preferences. Rest assured, there is always one pasta available that is suitable for the dish you are preparing.