5 Obscure Pasta Shapes With Fascinating Backstories

Italy and pasta go hand in hand. Pasta has been a central staple in the kitchens of the Mediterranean peninsula for centuries, if not millennia. Indeed, the practice of mixing then drying flour and water can be dated back to the days of the Etruscans between the 8th and 3rd centuries BCE. The more primitive forms of pasta would be nigh unrecognizable as such today, and Italian pasta has taken influence from East Asian and Arab practices over the course of its storied history. In other words, Italian pasta is less of an invention and more of a cultural evolution. And as pasta developed in Italy and became integral to the country's way of life, so too did new pasta shapes develop over the years.

There are reportedly hundreds of unique pasta shapes spread throughout Italy, with some reporting over 350 unique forms (though a solid number is, of course, hard to obtain). Some have universal recognition, like spaghetti or penne, while others are much more obscure and region-centric. And others still are fresh on the pasta scene, having only been invented recently. Here are some fascinating pasta shapes that you may not have heard of, along with the often hazy stories of how they came to be.

The shape of corzetti del Levante catches the eye immediately with its flat, circular form and use of decorative embossments right on the pasta itself. Though certainly a fascinating aesthetic distinction from your regular pasta noodles, these embossments aren't just decorative — they also give the pasta more surface area, helping sauce cling onto each little floury disc. Each piece is about 1.5 inches in diameter, though it's reasonable to assume that different households may have made corzetti del Levante in varying sizes over the many years of the shape's existence. It should also be noted that there are two distinct forms of corzetti in its native Liguria: the stamped corzetti del Levante and "corzetti valpolceveraschi," which doesn't stamp the disc but twists it instead, forming a sort of figure of 8.

There's some speculation pertaining to the history of corzetti del Levante, with possible links to the "corzetto," a round Genovese coin from around the 14th century. It could also link back to the Latin word "crux," meaning "cross," which used to be embossed on the faces of corzetti del Levante (and which also appeared on the "corzetto" coin, hence its name). Either way, the tradition of imprinting designs onto these circles was alive during the Renaissance, when well-to-do families would have their sigils/coats of arms stamped onto their corzetti. So if you want to make a statement next time you host a dinner party, just make your own corzetti del Levante stamp and serve up some truly one-of-a-kind pasta!

Pasta is an ever-evolving art, with new pasta shapes being created to this day. There's perhaps no greater testament to this sentiment than cascatelli, the first original pasta shape created by the collaborative efforts of Dan Pashman and Sfoglini (the same team behind quattrotini, the new riff on cinque buchi). It was officially released in 2021, after about three years of painstaking development to create the ideal pasta shape. In creating cascatelli, Pashman sought to find the perfect shape for his three distinguishing features of pasta quality, which he dubs "sauceability" (the ability for sauce to mingle with the pasta), "forkability" (the ease with which you can either stab or scoop up the pasta with your fork), and "toothsinkability" (the textural satisfaction you get from biting into the pasta).

Cascatelli's shape, then, can be seen with all three of these qualities in mind. Its unique, asymmetrical waterfall-like shape (from which the name "cascatelli" is derived) makes for great sauce retention and a dynamic texture. Whether using this pasta as a simple swap for your mac and cheese or trying it out in different sauces (or even in salads), you've truly never tried anything like cascatelli before.