Spaghetti and Other Shapes: 5 Ways to Cook Pasta

Whether it's the classic spaghetti or the less common regional shapes, there's no doubt: Italians are the biggest pasta eaters in the world, with over 23 kilos consumed per capita annually. More than 1 in 2 Italians (54%) eat it every day, with lunch being the preferred meal for 8 out of 10 people (source: Nextplora analysis 2024). And while abroad, spaghetti is the most popular shape when it comes to enjoying Italian cuisine, on national soil, the variety of choice is extremely high.

Region you go, pasta you find

In Southern Italy, about 7 out of 10 Italians (68%) eat pasta every day, compared to over 4 out of 10 in the Northwest (43%). According to a census by Unione Italiana Food, out of 500 existing pasta shapes, about 200 regional recipes are documented. Short or long, smooth or ridged, filled or hollow: the different names and various lines tell of territories, popular culture, production techniques, the art and imagination of the pasta maker, and above all, a product that has always been accessible and cross-cutting. Every region, every bell tower has its symbolic recipe, every Italian has their favorite. And considering that each region has, on average, between 7 and 10 typical pasta recipes with as many territorial variants, the exact number is practically impossible to census.

Five ways to cook pasta + 1

It's not just the shapes that are different, but also the ways to cook pasta, each with its different result. Here are the main five:

Pasta in salted boiling water: This is the traditional method, which involves bringing a pot of abundant salted water to a boil (about 1 liter of water for every 100 g of pasta and 10 g of coarse salt). Then add the pasta and stir it occasionally to prevent sticking, cooking it until the desired consistency is reached. In Italy, the traditional consistency is the so-called "al dente," a contraction of the term "to the tooth," indicating that the pasta should still be firm when bitten.
Risotto-style pasta: Start by browning the raw pasta in oil or butter with chopped onion or garlic. Then add broth or hot water one ladle at a time, stirring until the liquid is completely absorbed before adding the next ladle.
Baked pasta: This technique involves cooking previously boiled pasta in a sauce in the oven, such as béchamel and cheese or ragù. After combining all the ingredients, place everything in a baking dish and bake until the surface is golden and crispy.
Cold pasta or pasta salad: After cooking the pasta using the boiling method (number 1), drain and rinse it under cold running water to stop the cooking. Then mix it with dressings such as vegetables, cubed cheese, and fresh herbs to create a pasta salad. Note: yes to pickled vegetables, but pickles are not recommended.
Pan-tossed pasta: After cooking the pasta using the boiling method (number 1), but for about half the time indicated on the box, drain and transfer it to a pan where a sauce has been prepared. Toss the pasta over medium-high heat for a few minutes to blend the flavors well and finish cooking.
Fried pasta: Fried pasta is also a typical preparation of Italian cuisine, born as a recovery dish to reuse leftover pasta. It is a technique that involves frying already cooked pasta, creating a crispy texture on the outside and soft on the inside. Depending on the region and variants, fried pasta can be prepared in different ways, both sweet and savory.

Spaghetti all'assassina: a Puglian gem

There is a sort of seventh cooking method, a toasting halfway between risotto-style pasta and fried pasta, which has its emblem in a typical dish from the Bari area, but increasingly popular in the rest of Italy and beyond. We are talking about the so-called spaghetti all'assassina, one of the symbolic dishes of Puglian cuisine. Their origin is linked to local catering and the creativity of some cooks who wanted to give a twist to the classic pasta with tomato sauce. The name "assassina" seems to derive from the spiciness of the dish and its intense and charred flavor, which can be almost "lethal" for those not used to strong tastes. The recipe has been passed down in families and restaurants until it became a true gastronomic cult with the Accademia dell'Assassina, created to preserve the tradition and promote the original preparation method. The peculiarity of the dish lies in the cooking method: the spaghetti is cooked raw directly in the pan without prior boiling and risottoed with a tomato broth that cooks them slowly while forming a crispy crust. The iron pan is considered essential to achieve the right Maillard reaction, which gives the spaghetti their characteristic texture and slightly smoky flavor.