Magazine: Unusual pasta shapes

Italian chefs in the USA are rediscovering their roots and reinterpreting lesser-known pasta varieties, which are made only in certain parts of Italy. The New York Times has already published an article about the topic. What about the sources of this ‘paste revolution’? Interestingly enough, behind the great discoveries we not only find flour, eggs and water but YouTube as well, where chefs can learn about different special pastas and how to prepare them – revealed East Coast pasta guru Marc Vetri.

The majority of top restaurants are focusing primarily on special shapes. Every restaurant serves ravioli and bucatini, but this spring’s hit pasta types are casoncelli, sopressini, occhi and malloreddus (some call this the Sardinian gnocchi). Lumaconi – often filled in its bigger version – and candy-shaped caramelle have also been rediscovered. Corzetti is interesting because this pasta type can be logoed – given some kind of embossed decoration. Radiatori and mafalidne are also rather unusual pasta varieties that are gaining popularity today.