Pasta Perfect

Todays lesson included a variety of pastas and Italian-style hors d'oeuvres, including Prosciutto and melon and grilled lollipop lamb chops.

A VARIETY OF PASTA NAMES: just a small sampling

Acini de pepe ("peppercorns")

Agnolotti (half moon ravioli)

Anelli ("little rings")

Arancini ("little oranges" - for soups)

Bocconcini ("small mouthfuls" - 1/2 inch tube, rigatoni style)

Bows (may be Farfalle - "butterflies")

Bucati ("with a hole")

Bucatini (pierced hollow pasta, thinner than spaghetti)

Cannoni ("cannons" - large tubes)

Capelli d'angelo ("angels hair")

Capellini ("fine hairs")

Cappelli di pagliaccio ("clown's hats")

Cavatelli (short curled noodle)

Chitarra (cut using a "guitar" cutter)

Ditali ("thimbles")

Ditalini ("little thimbals")

Elbow (what, you don't know your pasta from your elbow?)

Fettuccine ("small ribbons")

Funghini ("little mushrooms")

Fusilli ("twists")

Gemelli ("twins" - look like two thin pieces of spaghetti twisted together like a rope)

Linguine ("small tongues")

Macaroni (generic term for hollow or pierced pasta)

Mafalda (broad noodle with ruffled edges)

Mezzani ("medium" - middle sixed macaroni)

Mostaccioli ("small Moustaches")

Nastrini ("ribbon" or "tape")

Pappardelle (broad noodles)

Pasta Fresca (fresh pasta)

Pasta Verde (green pasta)

Pastina ("tiny dough")

Penne ("pens" or "feathers")

Perciatelli ("small pierced" pasta)

Rigati ("grooved")

Rigatoni (large grooved tubes)

Rotelle ("small wheels")

Rotini ("tiny wheels")

Vermicelli ("little worms")

Vongole ("clam shells")

Ziti ("bridegrooms")