Pasta & Risotto & Truffle

A feast for gourmets – the finest Italian pasta in the Heinemann Shop

Everyone loves pasta: it is possibly the most popular staple food – and the most undervalued. Spaghetti with tomato sauce is prized as a simple meal for children, and with good reason. But real gourmets know that Italian pasta, if prepared properly, can be a feast for all the senses. Its many shapes and colors, incomparably delicate bite and the mild taste set the stage perfectly for delectable sauces. Pasta deserves the very best ingredients and plenty of attention in the kitchen. Enjoy the authentic taste of Italy – with Italian pasta brands such as Borgo de‘ Medici, Cipriani and many more in the Heinemann Shop.

Tagliatelle, farfalle, orecchiette: what Italian pasta varieties are there? 

The range of Italian pasta shapes is vast and heavily shaped by regional influences. Besides spaghetti, tagliatelle, macaroni and penne, the most popular pasta classics include:

• Farfalle: wide pasta with a pinched center, with a shape that looks like a butterfly
• Fusilli: short spiral-shaped pasta
• Orecchiette: small, thick pasta, shaped like rounded ears 
• Lumache/lumaconi: short pasta, shaped like a snail’s shell
• Conchiglie: generally large shell-shaped pasta, can also be stuffed and used in gratins
• Pappardelle: very wide pasta ribbons
• Rigatoni: variant of penne with a ridged surface
• Cannelloni: large, long, cylindrical pasta which is stuffed and used in gratins
   

There’s a simple reason for the wide variety of pasta shapes available: each is designed to perfectly absorb a different kind of sauce. Spaghetti is perfect for thin sauces or pesto. Short pasta shapes such as orecchiette or fusilli are combined with chunky sauces, for example vegetable sauces or a bolognese sauce. And hollow pasta shapes such as macaroni or penne are ideal for absorbing creamy carbonara or a cheesy sauce.

The best pasta is made from 100% durum wheat semolina: Italian pasta from Heinemann

Italian pasta is made of durum wheat semolina, the finely ground grano duro which gives the pasta its typical “al dente” character. While fresh pasta dough is made with eggs and therefore has to be eaten within a few days, dried pasta – as stocked in the Heinemann Shop – is made only of durum wheat semolina and water. Sometimes plant-based coloring agents are added to the pasta to further enhance the visual appeal of fine pasta dishes:

• Green pasta is made by adding spinach or herbs to the pasta dough.
• Red pasta can be colored either with tomatoes (orange red) or beetroot (purple red).
• Black pasta contains squid ink, and is regarded as a specialty in combination with seafoods and fish.

Gourmet pasta varieties from Italian manufacturers such as Dalla Costa and Borgo de’ Medici, which you can order online in the Heinemann Shop, are also available in typical pasta colors. Some are also available in mixed colors or with intricate stripes.

Authentic enjoyment – buy Italian pasta and other delicacies online

Gourmet pasta transforms an everyday meal into fine dining. Take advantage of the exceptional product range available in the Heinemann Shop and buy your pasta and delicious sauces online. A little Parmesan and a fine wine add the perfect finishing touches to this Italian treat – Heinemann stocks a wide selection of these delicacies and more.