Name That Pasta Trivia Quiz

Conchiglie is a type of pasta that is formed in the shape of a seashell. The name, "conchiglie", is derived from the Italian word for seashell, "conchiglia". While it is made in a plain variety, conchiglie can also be produced in coloured varieties using natural pigments such as tomato or spinach extract, or squid ink, while the shape of the shell, with a curved lip, allows the pasta sauce to adhere to the pasta better.

In addition to the standard size of conchiglie, there is a miniature variety called "conchigliette".

Fusilli is a corkscrew shaped pasta variety, with a named derived from the Italian word "fuso", meaning spindle. Fusilli is produced by pressing and rolling a small rod over thin strips of pasta, winding them into the corkscrew shape. As with other pasta types, fusilli is made in plain and coloured varieties, with colours produced by mixing the dough with other ingredients, such as tomato, spinach or squid ink. Fusilli can be either solid or hollow, with solid fusilli also known as rotini in the United States.

Farfalle is a pasta type shaped like bow-ties or butterflies, with the name being the Italian word for butterfly. While farfalle come in different sizes, they all have the same shape, with the edges having a ruffled cut and the centre pinched in to form the bow shape.

As with many other pasta varieties, farfalle is sold in plain and coloured varieties, where the colours are produced using tomato, spinach or squid ink. Farfalle dates from the 16th century, where it came about in Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna, where it is known as "strichetti", a local Emiliano word for "bow-ties".

Macaroni is a short cut pasta in the shape of a narrow tube. Macaroni is usually associated with short, curved tubes, which can also be referred to as "elbow macaroni", as this is the type of pasta generally associated with macaroni and cheese recipes.

However, in Italy, maccheroni is a term that generally refers to varieties of elongated pasta, whether in tube form or not, with variants differing from each other due to the texture of the pasta itself, where some are smooth and others have ridges down their length. Macaroni is used in a number of dishes in various cultures, such as in a pudding with milk and sugar in the UK, and in a dish similar to mee goreng in Malaysia.

Maltagliati is a pasta type originating in Emilia-Romagna. In the production of noodle-type pasta such as tagliatelle, the excess, off-cuts of dough that are left, which have irregular shapes and thicknesses, are used to create maltagliati, which means "poorly cut" in Italian. Maltagliati is believed to have been a food for the poor, and is therefore generally used in recipes with simple ingredients, such as bean soup.

Paccheri is a short-cut pasta from Campania, which is formed in the shape of a large tube. The name originates from a Neopolitan word, "paccharia", meaning "slap". This is believed to stem from the slapping sound that paccheri tends to make when it is being eaten.

While paccheri is generally a smooth type of pasta, paccheri millerighe is a ribbed variant. Recipes for paccheri can either feature the pasta stuffed with other ingredients, or unstuffed with sauces.

Radiatori is a squat type of short-cut pasta that is said to resemble a radiator. originally created between the First and Second World Wars, Radiatori is modelled after heating fixtures with a straight pipe and concentric fins. The design of radiatori creates hollows that can trap sauce, which makes it good to use in dishes with thicker sauces. Radiatori is also used often in casseroles, soups and salads.

Orecchiette is a pasta type that originates in Apulia. A disc shaped variant formed into a small dome, orecchiette takes its name from the Italian for "small ear", as it resembles an ear in shape. Orecchiette is used in dishes typically served with meat, while a traditional dish from Apulia is orecchiette alle cime di rapa, where the pasta is served with turnip tops (or broccoli or cauliflower as an alternative).

Orzo is a pasta type in the shape of large rice grains, as the name comes from the Italian for barley. Unlike other short-cut pasta types, which will often be served with some kind of sauce, orzo tends to be used as an addition to different dishes as an alternative to ingredients such as rice.

It can be served in soups or salads, or baked into casseroles, but can also be boiled and then lightly fried to create a dish similar to risotto.

Campanelle, which is also known in some areas as gigli, is a short-cut pasta type in the shape of a cone with a ruffled edge, which looks similar to a hand bell. This is how the type gets its name, which is the Italian for "little bell" (or bellflower). Campanelle is a type that is intended to be served in dishes with thick sauces, or in casseroles.