How many pasta shapes in your pantry right now?

[Robin Garr]

This question just occurred to me tonight when I went to the larder for linguine and found none. I subbed fettuccine, which worked okay, but I was not happy. Which led me to the idea for a poll: How many different pasta shapes do you usually stock at home? I don't keep as many as I used to, not after I discovered that if you keep pasta too long (at least in this usually humid climate) it eventually gets weevily.

But I still have quite a fair selection: Spaghetti, thick spaghetti, linguine (usually), fettuccine, bucatini, conchiglie, penne, rigatoni, mezze rigatoni, bucati fusilli corti, lasagna, orzo, elbows, and in the non-Italian category, udon, soba, thin Asian wheat noodles and cellophane noodles.

How about you?

I was counting and got to the bottom of your post and then had to add the non-Italians too! So my number is right around 12.

But sometimes if I haven't felt like braving the grocery store, it can get as low as 5 varieties.

2: Cavatappi and Orechiette.

rwj

Three here. I walk to the Market Basket and pick from over 40 shapes and five different makers when we are having pasta. Three miles round trip, and I can have another ounce of whatever I pick.

What Cynthia said, word for word.

Well, I just screwed your stats up. I thought we only had three and answered such, but I just went and looked and we're up at 6 or 7.

Capellini
Linguini
Spaghetti
Lasagna
Penne
Bowtie

There may be more, but I can't remember.

Richard

[Jenise]

When I saw your post, Robin, I almost guestimated 5-6 without going to the pantry to count. "Around 6" is what I reflexively think I usually have on hand. Typically, two or three string or ribbon shapes, two or three cut shapes, and always something small like orzo or acini di pepe.

But apparently I lie to myself. Because I did go to the pantryand the number's far higher, and it's probably always that high because beyond the Barilla and Ronzoni pantry staples (of which I often have two boxes of the same shape, as might support spontenaeous entertaining), cool-looking foofoo artisan pasta and unusual shapes are something I just can't pass up. The decision to purchase has nothing to do with whether or not I need pasta--I just have to try THAT one or can't bear to pass up something I stumble across but very rarely see, like buccatini, which I obviously haven't run into in a very long time. I don't believe I've owned any since moving to Washington.

All of which forces me to reveal that I have 12 Italian pastas alone:

linguine
penne rigate
farfalle
rigatoni
fusilli
mafalda (tracks)
fusilli con buco
acini di pepe
orzo
extra wide papparadelle
bavette ai funghi porcini
spinach fettucine
plus four types of asian noodles

Like many of you, I off-handedly would have said 3-4, but yowzer, here's what I have right now. I've got your Bucatini, Jenise!

1. Bucatini Rigati
2. Spaghetti Rigati
3. Barilla "Plus" (multigrain) Spaghetti (not half bad)
4. Regular Spaghetti
5. Linguini
6. Penne
7. Bow tie
8. Cipriani Tagliarelle (which we are looking forward to having with friends tonight tossed with shitakes lemon and asparagus)[/list][/list]

[Jenise]

Carrie, is bucatini (I spelled it with two c's but you use one, so hereafter I'm going with your version) pretty common back east? I've only used it twice in my whole life, and that's because I was able to purchase it exactly twice in my life. We just never see it out here.

[Robin Garr]

Carrie, is bucatini (I spelled it with two c's but you use one, so hereafter I'm going with your version) pretty common back east? I've only used it twice in my whole life, and that's because I was able to purchase it exactly twice in my life. We just never see it out here.

One possibility: Bucatini is essentially the same as <i>perciatelli</i>. Same pasta, thicker than spaghetti and with a long hole down the center (like a tiny drinking straw). Bucatini is all but mandatory in bucatini all'amatriciana, an Abruzzese dish that has become a Roman favorite, so I've got to think it's more widespread than you might think.

Anyway, next time you're in a shop with a decent selection, look around for perciatelli. You might be happily surprised.

[Jenise]

Robin, I think it's a great noodle and I make bucatini all'amatriciana--er, well, _________ all'amatriciana-- several times a year, it's one of our favorite red sauces, especially during fresh tomato season. Believe me, if bucatini was around, I'd know it. Not even even the higher end food places in Seattle like Whole Foods who carry a lot of the $5+ brands and that cater to vegetarians (who eat more pasta than carnivores, on average) have ever had it on their shelves.

[Robin Garr]

Robin, I think it's a great noodle and I make bucatini all'amatriciana--er, well, _________ all'amatriciana-- several times a year, it's one of our favorite red sauces, especially during fresh tomato season. Believe me, if bucatini was around, I'd know it. Not even even the higher end food places in Seattle like Whole Foods who carry a lot of the $5+ brands and that cater to vegetarians (who eat more pasta than carnivores, on average) have ever had it on their shelves.

Isn't that odd? I was hoping maybe it was out there, hiding in plain sight with perciatelli on the package.

[Jenise]

Well, you'd think! The closest I've gotten is spaghetti rigati, which is still smaller diameter than your perciatelli.

[Robin Garr]

Well, you'd think! The closest I've gotten is spaghetti rigati, which is still smaller diameter than your perciatelli.

Doesn't have a hole in it, either. To me, that makes a significant difference in the texture of bucatini/perciatelli.

I like spaghetti rigati, though - the ridges really make sauce cling to it, and I like its texture, too. We see it here from Barilla off and on, but not all the time.

I don't stock a lot of pasta, as I don't think of it as a staple. If I am planning a pasta dish, I'll purchase the specific pasta I want just before I cook it.

Now that I have a bit more time on my hands, I'll soon be working at making my own pasta. But for now I rely on the store bought.

Robin, I think it's a great noodle and I make bucatini all'amatriciana--er, well, _________ all'amatriciana-- several times a year, it's one of our favorite red sauces, especially during fresh tomato season. Believe me, if bucatini was around, I'd know it. Not even even the higher end food places in Seattle like Whole Foods who carry a lot of the $5+ brands and that cater to vegetarians (who eat more pasta than carnivores, on average) have ever had it on their shelves.

I routinely get bucatini at an Italian deli here. I don't see it anywhere else. I think it's from Barilla. OTOH, I don't think I've ever seen spaghetti rigate.

1. Jumbo Shells
2. Fettuccini
3. Capellini
4. Orzo
5. Penne
6. Lasagna noodles
7. Spaghetti
8. Spaghettini
9. Acini de pepe
10. Campanelli

With just the two of us, I don't cook the entire package of pasta, so it collects. I keep it all in our extra refer. I also use it in soups. If a have a small amount of a pasta left, I toss it into whatever soup I am making. Last night a Mexican soup got a little uncooked Acini de pepe.

I have a lot more than I thought...LOL!

1. Spaghetti
2. Linguini
3. Fettucini
4. Penne Rigati
5. Mini Penne
6. Campanelli
7. Elbows
8. Pastina
9. Orzo
10. Lasagna
11. Large shells
12. little shells
13. Corkscrew (rice pasta)
14. Angel Hair (whole wheat)
15. Vermicelli (rice pasta)
16. Farfelle
17. Rigatoni
18. Tortellini (barilla shelf stable)
19. Tri-color Rotini
20. Frozen Ravioli...does that count?

I think that's it!

Holy macaroni Batman! You folks have a lot of pasta!

I have:
1. Linguine
2. Orzo
3. Whole Wheat Penne
4. Spaghetti

There are also some ramen bowls, but I'd count those as prepared food. I'm pretty sure I have more varieties of dry beans than pasta.

Walt

[Jenise]

Mike F said:

OTOH, I don't think I've ever seen spaghetti rigate.

Funny how shapes seem to be regional, isn't it? When I first moved here, I was so excited to find Acini de Pepe, which I love to brown and then add chicken broth to cook it into a pilaf-like side dish. I had only ever seen it one time in So Cal so I bought like five boxes of it to hoard--and then discovered that every single supermarket in this town has it, 24/7.

The spaghetti rigate is a relatively new offering [2-3 years] in our area - Barilla. It is absolutely perfect for getting sauce to cling to the strands. I am always buying the rigate - ridged pastas rather than their smooth equivalent. Barilla's spaghetti rigate is the closest thing to tonarelli commercially available.

Jenise, the bucatini I have is Barilla, our favorite grocery store brand. It's REALLY hard to find though, so I snap it up when I see it. Most of the time, I can only find it in boutique-style grocery stores.

I know I have gotten it out west, also. The first time I ever had it was dinner at a friend's in the desert. She had bought it at Jensen's, which is where I usually can find it. (I remember you saying you had been to one when you visited your friend.)

[Jenise]

Jenise, the bucatini I have is Barilla, our favorite grocery store brand. It's REALLY hard to find though, so I snap it up when I see it. Most of the time, I can only find it in boutique-style grocery stores.

I know I have gotten it out west, also. The first time I ever had it was dinner at a friend's in the desert. She had bought it at Jensen's, which is where I usually can find it. (I remember you saying you had been to one when you visited your friend.)

Ah yes, THAT Jensens. I wouldn't have remembered the store's name, haven't been back in a long while as my dear Lois passed away last summer. BUT, useful to know that Barilla does make that shape, one of the stores here prides itself on special orders....