The Italian cuisine is rich, varied, and incredibly tasty. Yet, few dishes are so iconic of this nation than pasta. There are countless types of Italian noodles and recipes for all tastes. Ironically, pasta isn’t an Italian invention, though. At least not by birth, according to archaeological findings that show it was already enjoyed in Asia for thousands of years before Marco Polo’s legendary explorations.
However, this article isn’t about accidents of birth. Pasta is an indissociable part of Italian cuisine. Here, you’ll read about different Italian noodle types and some killer recipes you can cook with them.
Travelling Sourcers
Marco Polo had an incredible life, but he wasn’t the first to bring this delight to Italy.
Early pieces of evidence of pasta-making were found in an Etruscan tomb dating from the 4th century, and the Chinese have been cooking noodles for at least 3,000 years.
How the dish spread through the country is uncertain, but it’s undeniably everywhere. Nevertheless, you can cook some incredible recipes at home, using fresh pasta from your local store and adding Filippo Berio’s new pasta sauces for a refined touch.
If you want to enjoy different Italian noodle types as the locals do, you might want to try the dishes below.
Maccheroni alla Chitarra
- Region: Abruzzo
Here’s a unique Italian noodle type | Sweetaly. Indeed, the dish only has this name in the region of Abruzzo, being called “spaghetti alla chitarra” in other regions.
This thin and long pasta is made with a tool named chitarra, not to be confused with the musical instrument, a type of guitar. This tool was created in the late 19th century. The sauce is typically made of tomatoes and meat that sticks perfectly to this porous pasta.
Fusilli con la Mollica
- Region: Basilicata
Basilicata is the place of birth of many types of Italian noodles. Fusilli con la mollica uses simple and cheap ingredients since it’s historically a land of shepherds and peasants. So, it uses local ingredients such as hot peppers, onions, tomatoes, and red wine. “La mollica” is the soft part of bread crumbs, adding texture and taste to the final result.
Cappellacci di Zucca
- Region: Emilia-Romagna
Cappellacci di Zucca is one of the main stars on the menu of the country’s culinary capital. This recipe stuffs pasta with squash or pumpkin, bathed in a local ragu recipe or sage sauce. If you’re visiting the region, consider a small trip to Ferrara, where the Cappellacci (or small hats) were invented.
Strangozzi al Tartufo Nero
- Region: Umbria
Black truffles aren’t easy to find unless you’re in Umbria, which is also aptly known as “ black truffle country.” The word “strangozzi” refers to “shoelaces”, which tells a lot about the shape of this pasta. The typical Umbrian dish doesn’t use many ingredients: garlic, olive oil, and black truffles are enough for an unforgettable meal.
Bigoli con l’Anatra
- Region: Venice
Bigoli looks like spaghetti, although it’s thicker and sometimes hollow in the middle. This dish isn’t for the lily-livered, though. The fatty sauce is made with duck meat, which is quite common in the region. The original recipe also includes duck skin, liver, and giblets.