The world of pasta
STRAIGHT PASTA
The following list includes the most common straight (non stuffed) shapes and sizes, which are cut from rolled-out pasta sheets.
Capelli d'angelo (angel hair): the finest-cut pasta.
Farfalle (butterflies): rectangular strips cut 1 by 2 1/2 inches and pinched together in the center to make butterflies or bow ties.
Fettuccine (Little slices): another ribbon pasta, about 1/3 inch wide.
Lasagne: pasta sheets, about 4 inches wide, usually used for layering between cheese, meat, vegetables, or seafood fillings, a specialty of Campania.
Linguine (little tongues): spaghetti like noodles cut about 1/8-inch wide.
Orecchiette (little ears): small olive-sized pieces of pasta pressed with the thumb into the shape of ears, a specialty of Apulia.
Pappardelle: rectangles or rhombuses cut 1 by 2 1/2 inches.
Quadrucci (little squares): 11/2 by 11/2 inch squares.
Tagliatelle (noodles): ribbon pasta similar to but slightly wider and thinner than fettuccine.
Tagliolini (little cuts): thin, ribbon-like pasta cut a bit wider than linguine.
Trenette: ribbon pasta, the same as fettuccine, which may be rippled.
Vermicelli (little worms): very thin, spaghettilike noodles.

STUFFED PASTA
Anolini: stuffed semicircular pasta.
Agnolotti: stuffed pasta, either semicircular or square, depending on the region.
Cappelletti: similar to tortellini but cut into squares instead of disks. They are usually served in broths. Two-inch squares are filled and shaped as for tortellini but without the collar.
Casonsei di Bergamo: rectangular, parcel-shaped pasta in the Bergamo style.
Ravioli: stuffed, square, pillow-shaped pasta.
Panzarotti: like anolini but breaded and deep-fried.
Raviolini: the same as ravioli but smaller.
Tortelli: the same as tortelloni but smaller.
Tortellini: stuffed hat-shaped pasta with curled-up edges. Circles of thinly rolled pasta 3 inches in diameter are filled with cheese, spinach, meat, nuts, or seafood. The circle is then folded over in half, the edges are moistened, and they are pinched to seal, as for the anolini and agnolotti. The characteristic hat shape is achieved by grasping both ends of the semicircle, pulling them together, and sealing with pressure. The outer edge of the semicircle is then bent over to shape the traditional "collar".

COMMERCIAL MACHINE-MADE PASTA
Bucatini: long, thin, smooth pasta tubes.
Conchiglie: fluted, shell-shaped pasta for stuffing.
Fusilli: long spiral-shaped pasta.
Lumache: snail-shaped pasta for stuffing.
Maccheroni, macaroni: tubular pasta, either smooth or ribbed, available in short or medium lengths, a specialty of Naples.
Maccheroni rigati: any macaroni that has ribs.
Mafalde: long, rippled pasta strips, similar to but thinner than fettuccine.
Mafaldine: long rippled pasta strips, narrower than mafalde.
Orzo: rice-shaped pasta.
Penne: short to medium-long macaroni cut diagonally at both ends.
Perciatelli: long, medium-thick pasta tubes.
Rigatoni: large-ribbed macaroni that are cut short.
Spaghetti: long, round pasta without holes, available in various thickness.
Spaghettini : very thin spaghetti.
Tubetti: short-cut tubular macaroni.
Ziti: long, thick pasta tubes Zitoni: long, very thick pasta tubes.