350 kinds of pasta in the world, but which one actually matches your favourite sauce? Here's a complete guide for next time when you crave for some carbonara, Bolognese or alfresco.
1- Angel Hair
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It's the 'skinny' version of your regular spaghetti. More suitable as light entrées & side dishes. But, skip the chunky meat sauce- it drowns the noodles.
Cooking time: 2 mins
Ideal Combo: Finely chopped seafood, veggies & poultry
Best for: Light tomato sauces, broths, basil pesto or in Asian dishes.
2- Macaroni
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Although it's Italian, you might know it better as the other half of the American-based mac' & cheese. But, its hollow shape actually makes it a good pairing with any kind of sauce.
Cooking time: 6-8 mins
Ideal Combo: Anything you'll put into good ol' mac' & cheese
Best for: Creamy casseroles, cold salads & baked cheese
3- Bowtie
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Make sure to be careful when boiling it. Some might cook unevenly because of the shape. Funny that's also the attractive part of bow tie/farfalle in Italian, which means 'butterfly'.
Cooking time: 10-12 mins
Ideal Combo: Meat, fish, veggie & cheese
Best for: Cold salad, light veggie/fish sauce, dairy-based sauce & oil-based sauce
4- Fettuccine
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Don't confuse it with linguine, cause' this one's flatter. It means 'little ribbons' in Italian. It can replace spaghetti in any recipe
Cooking time: 10-12 mins
Ideal Combo: Mushrooms, chicken & meat
Best for: Dairy-based sauce like alfredo & chunky meat sauce
5- Penne
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Its tube-like shape allows more space to soak up the sauce. But, take note: it's easy to overcook. So, watch the pot!
Cooking time: 10-12 mins
Ideal Combo: Meats & veggies
Best for: Chunky meat/vege-based sauce, dairy-based sauce, tomato paste & baked casserole
6- Spaghetti
Source: Instagram
You may call it the 'godfather' of the pasta world! Its long, fine texture makes it blend into any kind of sauce. So, just throw it in with any ingredients & it will still taste as good.
Cooking time: 9-11 mins
Ideal Combo: Clams. sardines & meatballs
Best for: Tomato paste, chunky sauce like Bolognese, seafood sauce & light cream sauce
7- Fusilli
Source: Instagram
In the world of pasta, fusili is like the all-rounder. Thanks to its twisted shape, you can match it to any kind of sauce like light olive oil to chunky meaty ones.
Cooking time: 7-10 mins
Ideal Combo: Chicken, asparagus, ground beef & herbs
Best for: Any sauce/salad dressing, especially pesto
8- Linguine
Source: Instagram
In English, it means 'little tongues'. Ok, I've lost my appetite! If you dare, experiment with white-wine sauce. People say that the pair tastes like a dream together.
Cooking time: 8 - 10 mins
Ideal Combo: Baby spinach, clams & mussels
Best for: Non-meat sauces, especially fish/crustaceans, various pesto, oil-based sauce & stir-fry dish
Life is about exploring PASTA-bilities! -unknown
