What Makes Great Shaped Pasta?
From pasta casseroles to classic marinara with meatballs, your weekly menu will be much more exciting with a variety of pasta shapes. Penne rigate and ziti are excellent choices for pesto and other rich sauces because the sauce coats both the outside and inside of these tubular pastas. Elbow pasta is perfect for macaroni and cheese and goulash, while bow tie pasta can be tossed with olive oil and sautéed vegetables as a healthy main dish or side. With several varieties of shaped pasta in your pantry, you’ll always keep mealtime interesting. Our chefs define high-quality, shelf-stable shaped pastas as having a rich, golden yellow color. They should have high structural integrity, meaning the pasta pieces must remain whole during storage and use, rather than broken or mashed. Shaped pastas should have walls that are thick enough to hold their shape without collapsing, but not so thick that they become chewy. Penne rigate pasta should also contain deep ridges to hold sauces. All varieties
