Pasta is just pasta?

[xsquared]

I made this creamy pasta for dinner tonight with conchiglie pasta and it tasted so much better than when I made it the first time with pasta spirals.

The spirals made it taste drier but when I tried the recipe a second time with conchiglie, it was like a completely different taste. I think the shell shape meant that more sauce clung inside of it and gave a better burst of flavour.

DS was a bit nonchalant and commented "pasta is just pasta", but I beg to differ. Not all pasta shapes are created equal!

I have also found that tomato based sauces go better with spaghetti type pasta that tubey pasta.

It makes a certain amount of difference, but probably not nearly as much as Italians claim it does.

@purplesequins

I sometimes mix pasta shapes

I think there are laws against that kind of thing.

Watch 'Inside The Factory' where they go to a pasta factory in Italy. They explain what the different shapes are for.

@Katefoster

Completely agree. I have to think about what pasta to have with my sauce it can't be random. My husband on the other hand will have noodles with tuna. NOODLES

Thank you @Sprig1, it's been interesting to read people's comments and I'll have a look at the documentary.

@Katefoster Tuna and noodles is an unusual combination although I have in the past done salmon with noodles. For some reason, I think soy sauce and salmon really go well together.

I have this book.

I don't buy cheap pasta as even expensive pasta is cheap*

*I know I am very priviliged to be able to say this.

The shells probably tasted nicer with your sauce op because they always catch a little bit of water in them even when drained and pasta cooking water is a good addition to thick or creamy sauces.

@rishisboater

I have an Italian friend and she would say it very much makes a difference! No self respecting Italian would use that penne type pasta without the grooves - can't remember the name. They get quite angry about it

Totally untrue. I generally use the smooth ones. The only thing Italians get worked up about really us the SIZE of the pasta you use, and the fact that you don't put pasta round the edge of the plate and sauce in the middle.

@dreamingbohemian

I'm also wondering about that chart because I thought a proper bolognese was supposed to be best with tagliatelle or thicker noodles

We need a KLAXON for Italian cooks!

It is. But people don't get nearly as worked up about it as non Italians think.

I spend half my life telling Italians, no, Brits don't all do X, Y and Z. And the other half telling Brits that Italians don't do A, B and C.

My town has recently welcomed an American "influencer" and YTer who spends all her days spouting rubbish about both nationalities. (Italian diet is lo-carb ) and Brits put cheese in chocolate cake.

But people don't get nearly as worked up about it as non Italians think.
I dunno, I follow a lot of food pages on social media and whenever there is anything remotely to do with pasta or Italian food the comment section floooooded with Italian’s or those with Italian heritage completely repulsed and angry that anyone dare not do it the way Nona did meanwhile I’ll happily put cream in carbonara because I’m the one eating it.

@Geamhradh I'm laughing because as an American myself, I find American expats are often really terrible commenters on British food, I don't know why!

There used to be a Twitter account called Italians Angry About Food, it was pretty funny. I think a lot of it was about incorrect pasta : )

[quote dreamingbohemian]@Geamhradh I'm laughing because as an American myself, I find American expats are often really terrible commenters on British food, I don't know why!

There used to be a Twitter account called Italians Angry About Food, it was pretty funny. I think a lot of it was about incorrect pasta : )[/quote]
The influencer this evening has posted her home made bread that she adds ketchup to the dough to make.
Now, that, I do feel I need to hide from my Italian friends and relatives

She adds what???

Is it a parody account?

@dreamingbohemian

She adds what???

Is it a parody account?

Nope. I wish. She also makes carbonara pizza. As in, she makes pizza, puts bacon on, then at the last moment pours beaten egg on top.

I don't know all the"rules" about what pasta to use, but I do have my own preferences. Much prefer pappardelle with ragù Bolognese, and mostly buy linguine rather than spaghetti, to have with seafood sauces. I also buy more expensive brands, or a supermarket premium one, not the cheap ones, because they are so much nicer (only myself and DP to feed; if I had hungry kids I might do differently).