Pasta

Pasta is a staple Italian food made from dough of wheat flour (typically durum wheat semolina) and water, sometimes enriched with eggs. It is shaped into hundreds of forms — from long spaghetti and fettuccine to short penne and fusilli, stuffed ravioli and tortellini, and tiny orzo and couscous — each designed to hold sauces differently. Pasta is one of the most consumed foods in the world, valued for its versatility, affordability, and satisfying texture.

Fresh pasta is made at home or in restaurants and cooked immediately, while dried pasta is an industrial product with a long shelf life produced by extrusion and slow drying. The golden rule of cooking is boiling in plenty of salted water until al dente — firm to the bite. Classic pasta dishes include carbonara, bolognese, aglio e olio, cacio e pepe, and pesto, each following centuries of Italian culinary tradition. Pasta also serves as the base for baked dishes like lasagna and cannelloni, soups, and cold salads.

Explore more about pasta — from traditional Italian recipes and sauce pairings to production technology and cooking tips — in the articles below.