Happy National Pasta Day!

So two weeks ago we had Vodka Day click here and Taco Day on the same day. Didn’t think it could get much better than that.

Until today.

Yes I love Vodka. Yes I love Tacos. BUT… EVERYONE LOVES PASTA. I was lucky enough to go it Italy in August and got to have the best pasta anywhere in the world.

Here are my top 5 types of pasta and best sauces to eat them with.

5. Pappardelle.

Wikipedia “Pappardelle [papparˈdɛlle] (singular: pappardella) are large, very broad, flat pasta noodles, similar to wide fettuccine.[1] The name derives from the verb “pappare”, to gobble up. The fresh types are two to three centimetres ( 3⁄4–1 inches) wide and may have fluted edges. Dried egg pappardelle have straight sides. It originates from the region of Tuscany.”

Not everyone knows Pappardelle, but it is amazing. If you like fettuccine you will love Pappardelle… It’s just some extra pasta and who the hell doesn’t love a little extra pasta?? I love it in a nice Bolognese sauce! Molto Bene!

Cooking with nonna

4. Lasagne.

Wikipedia “Lasagne is a type of wide, flat pasta, possibly one of the oldest types of pasta. Lasagne, or the singular lasagna, commonly refers to a culinary dish made with stacked layers of pasta alternated with sauces and ingredients such as meats, vegetables and cheese, and sometimes topped with melted grated cheese.”

How can you not love some of grandma’s lasagne?? Pasta.. Cheese.. Meat.. Sauce.. It’s almost like an Italian Pasta Sandwich!

Image – Swan Brand

3. Penne.

Wikipedia “Penne is a type of pasta with cylinder-shaped pieces. Penne is the plural form of the Italian penna, deriving from Latin penna, and is a cognate of the English word pen. In fact when this format was created in XIX century it was supposed to imitate the fountain pen’s steel nibs.”

I think penne is the most classic pasta. The least messy but still delicious. When in doubt go with penne and you’ll be happy. My favorite all time is my mother’s homemade penne alla vodka. (Pasta and Vodka together.. WIN.)

Image – homemade hooplah

2. Ravioli.

Wikipedia “Ravioli are a type of dumpling composed of a filling sealed between two layers of thin pasta dough. Usually served either in broth or with a pasta sauce, they originated as a traditional food in Italian cuisine. Ravioli are typically square, though other forms are also used, including circular or semi-circular.”

I mean it’s stuffed pasta.. With cheese or almost anything else you want. It’s like an Italian dumpling. I was lucky enough to make ravioli on a rooftop Rome cooking class. Life changed. Ravioli is so good you can have it in any sauce!

^^^I made that..

1. Fettuccine.

Wikipedia “Fettuccine is a type of pasta popular in Roman and Tuscan cuisine. It is a flat thick pasta made of egg and flour, wider than but similar to the tagliatelle typical of Bologna. It is often eaten with sugo d’umido and ragù di pollo.”

Another pasta I was lucky enough to make in Rome. It’s so good. You can enjoy it with almost any type of sauce again. But you can not go wrong with fettuccine in a carbonara sauce. I mean, pasta with egg, cheese and bacon. BOOM!