Facts You Should Master About Pasta Terminology

While pasta is associated with Italy and Italian culture, according to DeLallo, the earliest evidence of pasta is actually attributable to the Shang Dynasty of China over 3,000 years ago. Early forms of pasta were also discovered in ancient Greece and Africa. Pasta began to appear in Italy during the 4th century B.C. as part of the Etruscan civilization. Archaeological evidence of pasta-making tools has been unearthed from an Etruscan tomb, putting to rest the legend that Marco Polo introduced pasta to Italy.

The evolution of pasta as integral to Italian identity can be traced back to the Renaissance. This was a period during which pasta became widely available in Rome and Florence. Diversification of shapes and styles of pasta — as well as the introduction of dried pasta — continued throughout the 19th century, by which point pasta had become a signature staple of the Italian diet and lifestyle. Italy boasts over 500 different shapes of pasta, each designed to be paired with a particular sauce.

Per Share the Pasta, pasta came to the U.S. along with the colonists from England. The first macaroni machine was introduced in 1789 by Thomas Jefferson, who discovered it while serving as an ambassador to France. During the Industrial Revolution, commercial pasta manufacturing became possible with the establishment of the first pasta factory in Brooklyn in 1848. Today, pasta continues to enjoy worldwide popularity thanks to its versatility, nutritional value, cost effectiveness, and simplicity. With the ubiquitous availability of pasta of all kinds, understanding basic pasta terminology is a critical skill to ensuring that you nail every pasta recipe you try.

Semolina flour is a high-protein flour milled from durum wheat, per Healthline. The second most cultivated wheat strain on the planet, triticum turgidum has adapted to grow particularly well in the climate surrounding the Mediterranean sea. This makes it the most common wheat utilized in the production of pasta in Italy and North Africa. While nutritionally similar to its cousin triticum aestivum — which is commonly used to bake bread — there is a distinct difference in texture which is what makes flour labeled "100% durum wheat semolina" ideal for making pasta. Because it is a harder wheat, it requires more milling to turn it into flour. This makes it a less starchy flour which doesn't ferment or rise as well. However, what it lacks in elasticity it makes up for in extensibility, meaning it can be stretched without breaking.

Dagostino Handmade Pasta goes on to note the ways in which semolina flour, in particular, can be a nutritional powerhouse compared to standard all-purpose refined flours. Aside from being high in protein and fiber, it is high in B vitamins — particularly folate and thiamine — which can aid in converting food to energy. Semolina is also rich in a particular kind of iron, called non-heme iron, which can help prevent anemia. Consumer Reports adds that eating cold semolina pasta can be a good source of resistant starch, which is necessary for maintaining the healthy microbial balance in the gut. This has been linked to everything from blood sugar maintenance and weight loss to resistance to pathogens and increased immune system health.

Slow-dried pasta is pasta that is allowed to dry naturally as opposed to machine-dried in high-temperature microwaves, according to Dagostino Handmade Pasta. Their process involves cutting the pasta into the appropriate shape and transferring it to a temperature-controlled drying cellar which prevents the pasta from spoiling while allowing it to dry slowly. The pasta is considered to be artisanal because it takes longer to create than mass-produced pasta, and is therefore more expensive.

Dagostino maintains that the higher cost is worth it. The artisanal slow-dried pasta absorbs water more consistently, allowing it to cook to the perfect al dente texture much more rapidly. Gustiamo agrees, but goes on to assert that slow-dried pasta is also healthier than mass-produced pasta. The reason for this has to do with the way in which high-heat drying affects the gluten in the pasta. When the gluten is exposed to high temperatures, the gluten mesh constricts. This makes it harder for us to digest the pasta than traditionally made slow-dried pasta, where the gluten remains unaffected by the drying process.

The name "gnocchi" stems from the antiquated Lombard word "knohha"— which translates to "knot" — referring to the shapes of these little dough balls, per Eat Like an Italian. A precursor to pasta, early renditions of this dish date back to ancient Rome and were made with everything from cornmeal and flour to stale bread and starchy vegetables. As differing as the base ingredients can be, the ways of cooking and topping these bundles of deliciousness are even more diverse. Regional specialties abound, telling a story of a food culture as varied as the people of Italy.

As our sister site Mashed notes, potato gnocchi didn't arrive in Italy until the 16th or 17th century, when the New World staple was introduced to Italians by Spanish explorers. The potato grows best in the northern regions of Italy, making it a specialty of that area. In fact, the city of Verona has an entire festival devoted to the dish, which occurs the last Friday of Lent during the Verona Carnival. The Bacanal del Gnoco is yet another example of how integral the dish is to the culinary legacy of Italians.

You have the freedom to prepare gnocchi in a myriad of ways, from boiling to baking to frying. You can also top them with any variety of sauces, from a simple tomato sauce or pesto to a more robust meat sauce. However you prepare them, make sure not to over or undercook them, as you run the risk of them becoming too dense and chewy or completely disintegrating into the cooking liquid.

Fresh vs. dry pasta is an age-old debate that appears to still leave consumers perturbed. The Washington Post notes that the answer to which type of pasta to use isn't a matter of good vs. bad, but rather one of utility. Most fresh pasta available tends to be of the egg variety and can be found in the refrigerated section of the store. For this reason, its shelf life is shorter, dictating that it be used within a few days. Fresh pasta can be fragile, lending itself to silky, smooth sauces that coat the noodles gently. Additionally, fresh pasta has a much shorter cooking time — about 1 to 3 minutes — as opposed to 15 minutes or more for dried pasta.

Dried pasta, on the other hand, has a long shelf life, making it ideal for buying in bulk. It is also less fragile and therefore better suited to robust, chunky sauces, like a Bolognese. This is attributable to the fact that dried pasta develops a ridged surface — a by-product of extrusion — which holds onto sauces, per our sister site Tasting Table. The Washington Post goes on to state that you should always follow the instructions on a recipe as to which to choose — fresh or dry — as most recipes have been tested with one or the other in mind for the ultimate flavor and texture. If you opt to substitute fresh for dry, add less liquid to the recipe to accommodate for the fact that fresh pasta won't absorb as much moisture in the cooking process, which can make your sauce too soupy.

The terms "rigate" and "lisce" are often associated with the penne noodle shape. Per Paesana, the basic difference is that rigate or "ridged" noodles tend to hold onto sauce better than lisce or "smooth" noodles. But True Italian states that this is an oversimplification which may mislead consumers. 

Penne lisce is produced in the artisanal way — meaning it is slow-dried — enabling sauces to be absorbed without the pasta crumbling. Penne rigate is a product of the mass-production of pasta and is quick-dried. The resulting noodle is inconsistent and difficult to cook to a perfect al dente texture without over or undercooking. The ridges are an adaptation to accommodate this unpredictability, allowing these commercially produced noodles to allow sauces to adhere to them more effectively, regardless of how perfectly al dente the cooked noodles are. While consumers like the ease and convenience of the commercially produced rigate noodles, chefs prefer the classic lisce noodle for its dependability and quality.

According to GMO Answers, GMO wheat pasta doesn't exist. In fact, wheat isn't one of the 10 genetically modified crops approved for cultivation in the United States. So why do some pasta manufacturers insist upon including the redundant label "GMO-free" on their packaging? Peel Back the Label sheds light on this clever marketing tactic. In an industry that is increasingly competitive, companies are seeking to create the illusion that their product is somehow superior to others. Because of the ongoing discussion regarding the safety of GMO products, this term instantly suggests that the pasta is safer and of higher quality.

And yet, per our sister site Health Digest, there is anecdotal evidence suggesting a difference between American-grown wheat and European-grown wheat. Many Americans who identify as having gluten intolerances note that while they cannot digest pasta manufactured in the U.S., they have no problem consuming and digesting pasta while traveling in Europe. This has piqued the curiosity of many as to what might be the culprit of this phenomenon. America produces predominantly hard wheat, which is higher in gluten, while Europe produces predominantly soft wheat, which is lower in gluten. Additionally, there is some evidence to suggest that the widespread use of the herbicide glyphosate on American wheat may be disrupting the microbiome of our gut, killing off good bacteria that contributes to healthy digestion. 

So while there is a difference between American and European wheat — non-GMO isn't it.