16 Classic Italian Pasta Recipes Everyone Should Know How to Make (2024)

FAQs

What is the most traditional pasta dish in Italy? ›

There are four classic Roman pasta dishes: cacio e pepe, carbonara, amatriciana, and alla gricia.

A common rule that Italians uphold when cooking pasta is never to break it so that it would fit the pot. Pasta is produced in a specific size for a reason. When you put the pasta in boiling water, gently push them down, so it does not break. Use the right pasta shape for the right sauce.

Testaroli has been described as "the earliest recorded pasta". It is also a native dish of the southern Liguria and northern Tuscany regions of Italy. Testaroli is prepared from a batter that is cooked on a hot flat surface, after which it may be consumed.

Barilla can't avoid a class-action lawsuit over allegedly deceptive advertising about the pasta's origins, a federal judge ruled this week. At issue is the brand's slogan “Italy's No. 1 brand of pasta,” which the lawsuit says can lead customers to believe it's actually made in Italy.

The iconic quartet of carbonara, cacio e pepe, amatriciana and gricia make up the four most famous and beloved Roman pasta dishes.

Pasta produced in Sicily is a food made from semolina or flour of different extractions, which is then divided into small shapes (Sicilian busiate) to be cooked in hot water and salt. By Francesca Ciancio. Mar 14, 2022.

Italians believe we are to cook and eat pasta while retaining the shape in which it was created. This means not breaking the uncooked pasta before putting it in the pot and not cutting up a plate of cooked pasta with a knife. While this is not illegal, it is certainly in bad taste.

Spaghetti bolognese does not exist in Italy, and it's best not to try and convince Italians otherwise. Instead of spaghetti, ragù is served with tagliatelle and is principally made with veal or pork mince and red wine—no mushrooms or tomato. Similarly, carbonara is made with eggs and cheese, not cream.

What is the rarest pasta dish? ›

Su filindeu—literally “threads of God” in Sardo—is unfathomably intricate. It's made by only three women on Earth, all of whom live on Sardinia. And they make it only for the biannual Feast of San Francesco. It's been this way for the last 200 years.

Su filindeu pasta is the stuff of legends. For over 300 years, only a handful of women from the remote Sardinian town of Nuoro have known the secret to making this unfathomably intricate pasta. That makes it the rarest and one of the most expensive pasta shapes on earth.

Baked Ziti is a popular Italian-American dish that is not commonly found in Italy. It is a casserole-style pasta that typically consists of ziti pasta, tomato sauce, cheese (usually a combination of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan), and added ingredients like meat or vegetables.

Among the most popular types of pasta follow penne rigate and fusilli. The wooden medal goes to the rigatoni and the ranking also includes farfalle, linguine, bucatini and lasagna. In Southern Italy ziti and ditalini, orecchiette and mixed pasta also triumph, almost impossible to find in the North.

The iconic quartet of carbonara, cacio e pepe, amatriciana and gricia make up the four most famous and beloved Roman pasta dishes.

For generations, Italian families have gathered around the table to enjoy homemade pasta. The act of making pasta, from kneading the dough to shaping and cooking, is a cherished tradition passed down through generations. It's a skill that connects families and preserves cultural heritage.

Primo. The primo is the first course to choose from; Pasta is served first as another appetizer but not the main event. You may also see soup, rice, and even polenta on the menu.