Share
Italian cuisine is simply an umbrella term used to describe the vast and extended culinary tradition of Italy. This cuisine is classified by the prevalent use of olive oil, tomato puree, Italian herbs, and lots of fresh cheese. A very important part of Italian cuisine is pasta. Pastas come in different shapes and sizes, each of which is mixed with different types of sauces to make autonomous dishes. One such trendy variety of pasta is spaghetti. Spaghetti is a type of pasta which is thin and long, often perceived as a type of noodle.
Video Credits: YouTube
However, spaghetti is very different from pasta in terms of both taste and purpose. A lot of people have a misconception that spaghetti comes in only a single variety. However, one can also find different types of spaghetti and use them depending on the purpose and the dish that they're making.
Also Read: Hasta La Pasta, Baby!
Image Credits: Instagram
* Spaghettoni
Spaghettoni is a flavourful variety of spaghetti, which generally has a width of 2.2 to 2.7 mm. It is a very soft and decadent variety of spaghetti that goes very well with heavier and thicker sauces that are generally creamier than the regular ones. A delicate type of spaghetti pasta would generally break from the weight of these sauces. However, spaghettoni goes very well with such sauces because it can handle the weight of the sauces perfectly. One can also add meat or any heavy vegetables to the mixture.
* Spaghettini
Spaghettini is a type of spaghetti that is relatively thinner. The thickness of the spaghetti may range from 1.1 mm to 1.3 mm. It is a rather delicate form of spaghetti that goes well with lighter sauces that do not overburden the pasta. Generally, sauce is made from olive oil and lighter herbs along with ingredients such as seafood, which goes very well with this type of pasta. It is perfect for making light and day-to-day meals and nothing extravagant.
* Capellini
Capellini is a type of pasta which is also quite thin. The thickness of this pasta can be somewhere between 0.85 mm to 0.92 mm. One would find the pasta being served in the shape of a nest-like structure. Because of its appearance, a lot of people confuse it with vermicelli. However, not only are these two different in terms of taste but their purpose and usage also differ a lot. It is a variation of spaghetti and is a lot thinner. But in terms of taste, there are only minor to negligible distances. This type of pasta tastes the best with a tomato-based sauce and lots of parmesan cheese.
Image Credits: Instagram
* Spaghetti
The traditional and trustable spaghetti has a cylindrical shape and is quite long. The thickness of spaghetti is generally somewhere between 1.5 mm to 2 mm. However, the length may vary depending on the region. Traditionally, spaghetti is made by infusing the pasta in a heavy tomato sauce such as bolognese or marinara. People like to twirl the spaghetti with a fork to enjoy the potion all at once without having to cut the spaghetti. Because of the slender shape of each piece of pasta, it can evenly absorb all the flavours and is also quite easy to eat. Spaghetti pasta is characterised by its balanced flavours and versatility.
* Spaghetti Rigati
Spaghetti Rigati is a not-so-popular version of spaghetti that is not quite easy to find in the market. It is an invention of Western countries such as the United States of America, which was made after gaining inspiration from its close and authentic cousins. It is different from regular spaghetti because of the presence of some very minimal ridges on the length of the spaghetti. The purpose of these ridges is to help the sauce synthesise better with the pasta. Spaghetti Rigati can go very well with both creamy and heavy sauces as well as tomato and olive oil-based light sauces.
Image Credits: Instagram
* Spaghetti Alla Chitarra
Alla Chitarra's variation of spaghetti is very similar to the traditional spaghetti. It is also called guitar spaghetti because of its cross-section and squared shape. Because of its shape, it is a bit chewy as compared to other spaghetti on the list. The shape is obtained by pressing the dough with a tool that is similar to a guitar. This pasta goes very well with chunky and heavy sources. One can also add different types of meat and vegetables to the pasta.
