The Intriguing Beginnings of 15 Classic Pasta Shapes

While many believe the tale of Venetian traveler Marco Polo introducing noodles from China, this narrative is misleading. Pasta had already gained popularity in Italy before Marco Polo's renowned 13th-century expedition. Although noodles had been a staple in China for millennia, their journey to Italy wasn’t necessarily direct. Historians suggest that Arab communities played a key role in bringing pasta to Italy, along with their innovative drying techniques, which were essential for preserving food during long travels. This early form of pasta also reached Greece, where the ancient Greek term itrion, meaning ribbon, is thought to be linked to the Arabic word for noodle, itriyya.

Regardless of its origins, Italians wholeheartedly adopted pasta, not just for its flavor. Italy’s climate is ideal for cultivating durum wheat, the main component of pasta, combined with eggs or water. Semolina, derived from durum wheat, is rich in gluten, making it perfect for shaping into various forms. When dried, semolina pasta boasts an extended shelf life. This use of durum wheat distinguishes Italian pasta from Asian noodles, which are typically made from rice flour or a different type of wheat than durum.

Curious about the history behind your favorite pasta shapes? Dive into this list, inspired by an episode of Food History on YouTube.

Table of Contents

Lasagne

Lasagne, recognized as one of the oldest pasta varieties, has its roots in ancient Rome, influenced by ancient Greece. Modern lasagne refers to the broad, flat noodles used in preparing ... lasagna, a beloved dish featuring cheese and tomatoes, adored by food enthusiasts (and famously disliked by cats on Mondays).

Before the era of Garfield, lasagne—known as laganon in ancient Greece and laganum in Rome—was quite different. Tomatoes didn’t reach Europe until the 1500s, and early versions of lasagna featured unique ingredients. A 4th or 5th-century recipe from the cookbook Apicius included layers of thin pancakes with a sauce made from cooked sow's belly, raisin wine, and figpecker breasts. By the 14th century, a recipe in the Italian cookbook Liber de Coquina began to resemble modern lasagna, calling for layers of grated cheese and spices with pasta.

Vermicelli

If pasta is European and noodles are Asian, where does vermicelli fit? Depending on the recipe, it could belong to either category. Historically, however, it originated in Italy around 600 years ago. One of the earliest references to vermicelli appears in The Art of Cooking Sicilian Macaroni and Vermicelli, a 15th-century cookbook by the renowned chef Martino da Como.

Martino served as a chef for the duke of Milan and Cardinal Ludovico Trevisan, a key papal advisor whose lavish feasts boosted Martino’s reputation. He is celebrated as one of the earliest celebrity chefs in Western history, credited with creating the modern cookbook and crafting memorable recipe titles such as “How to Identify a Quality Cow’s Udder” and “How to Prepare a Peacock to Retain Its Feathers, Making It Appear Alive and Breathing Fire.” (For clarity, a desirable udder should be reddish and lean, and the peacock’s fiery effect is achieved with alcohol-soaked raw cotton.)

Vermicelli, a slender, elongated pasta, derives its name from the term “little worms.” Westerners later adopted this name for similar-looking Asian noodles. While these thin noodles feature in dishes like pho and bun bo hue, the term vermicelli is absent in their countries of origin, where regional names for such noodles are preferred.

Macaroni

The second pasta shape highlighted in Martino da Como’s cookbook is macaroni. The origin of the name macaroni is somewhat debated, but one compelling theory ties it to Greek mythology. In Euripides’s Heracleidae, which recounts the tale of Heracles’s children, his daughter Macaria volunteers as a sacrificial maiden to save Athens, earning a “glorious death.” Additionally, the Suda, an ancient encyclopedia, mentions another Makaria, daughter of Hades, also associated with a blessed death.

So, how does this connect to pasta? The Greeks used the term makaria for barley-based dishes, often served at funerals. Even today, the meal after a Greek Orthodox funeral is called a makaria. According to this theory, macaroni evolved from these barley dishes. When Greeks founded the colony of Neapolis (modern Naples), they encountered a local barley dish and named it makaria. Over time, the grain shifted to durum wheat, and the name became maccheroni. For many Italians and Italian-Americans, macaroni became a general term for pasta.

Regardless of its name’s origin, macaroni eventually found its perfect culinary pairing. In the 14th-century cookbook Forme of Cury, authored by King Richard II’s chefs, a recipe features layers of grated cheese and melted butter with pasta.

Tonnarelli

A variation of macaroni and cheese appears in the classic Roman dish cacio e pepe, meaning cheese and pepper. The dish includes starchy pasta water and traditionally uses tonnarelli pasta.

Among the finest pasta shapes, tonnarelli resembles spaghetti but typically features squared edges instead of rounded ones. De Cecco, a global pasta brand originating from Italy’s Abruzzo region, describes tonnarelli as the “regional variant of Maccheroni alla Chitarra.” A chitarra, meaning guitar, is a pasta-making tool with multiple wires used to slice flat sheets of dough into thin strips.

Stroncatura

Stroncatura is a pasta variety from Calabria in southern Italy, similar to linguini but darker, rougher in texture, and historically banned for much of its existence.

Originally, stroncatura was crafted from scraps gathered off pasta factory floors, resulting in a tangy flavor and porous texture ideal for holding sauce. Its inconsistent composition—potentially containing whole wheat, rye, or semolina—made regulation difficult, raising concerns about hygiene and quality. For years, it was only available on the black market.

Today, stroncatura is produced under hygienic conditions. Manufacturers use high-fiber wheat parts to achieve its dark hue, while bronze molds create its signature rough texture. With improved production standards, both the Italian government and Michelin-starred chefs have embraced this once-forbidden pasta.

Tortellini

Tracing the origins of ancient pasta shapes is challenging. Both Bologna and Modena claim tortellini as their own, but its true beginnings remain a mystery. One tale suggests it was invented by an innkeeper from Castelfranco Emilia, a town between Bologna and Modena. The story goes that the innkeeper peeked through a keyhole at the Roman goddess Venus, catching sight of her navel, which inspired him to create the navel-shaped pasta known as tortellini. Let’s hope the real story is less unsettling.

Spaghetti

Spaghetti is perhaps Italy’s most iconic pasta shape, though its early origins are somewhat murky. The name translates to “little strings,” with spaghetti being the plural of spaghetto.

Spaghetti has been produced in Sicily since at least the 12th century, but it gained widespread popularity after reaching the U.S. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, spaghetti was one of the few Italian ingredients available in America. Combined with meat and canned tomatoes, it became a cornerstone of Italian-American cuisine, particularly in the form of spaghetti and meatballs.

While some food purists argue that Italians wouldn’t combine pasta and meatballs, the reality is more nuanced. In Abruzzo, for example, a traditional dish features pasta with pallottine, small meatballs. Historical records, including a 1632 comedic theater reference, mention dreams of “a big dish of macaroni topped with meatballs,” as noted by David Gentilcore, a history professor at the University of Leicester.

Penne

It might come as a surprise that some beloved pasta shapes are relatively new. Penne was created in 1865 by Italian pasta maker Giovanni Battista Capurro, who designed a machine to cut thin tubes of dough at an angle. He patented his invention on March 11 of that year, making penne one of the few pastas with a documented origin date.

Mafaldine

Mafaldine is believed to have been named in honor of the elegant hair of Italian princess Mafalda of Savoy. While the pasta shape likely existed before her, the early 20th-century rebranding made for a compelling tale.

Strozzapreti

The name translates to “priest chokers” or “priest stranglers,” allegedly inspired by a priest who choked on them after eating too hastily.

Cavatappi

Cavatappi emerged in the 1960s when Barilla launched a corkscrew-shaped pasta called cellentani. The name honors Adriano Celentano, an Italian pop star known for his lively performances and the nickname moleggiato, meaning “springs.” Barilla explains on its website: “The shape resembles a coiled spring, so the name fit perfectly.” The term cavatappi was later adopted as a generic name for the shape since Barilla trademarked cellentani.

Gemelli

The pasta shape gemelli, meaning twins, is crafted from a single strand but features a twisted, double-helix design.

Orecchiette

Orecchiette dates back to the 12th century, with its name translating to “little ears.” Adorable!

Marille and Mandala

Not all pasta shapes leave a lasting mark. In 1983, Voiello, a Barilla subsidiary, enlisted famed Italian car designer Giorgetto Giugiaro to craft a unique pasta. His invention, marille, featured dual tubes with internal grooves to hold more sauce. Despite its creativity, it cooked unevenly and was discontinued soon after its launch.

In 1987, French pasta brand Panzani followed suit, hiring designer Philippe Starck to create a new shape. His mandala pasta reimagined rigatoni with a central panel for stability and thicker walls to prevent overcooking. Like marille, mandala also faded into obscurity.