Spiral pasta comes in a variety of sizes, flavors and colors. Each has its own use and is meant for a particular pasta dish. All those different types can make it quite confusing. For convenience, we’ve listed all of the spiral pastas.
Spiral pastas
Spiral pastas come in many varieties and have many different names. Each Italian region has its own kind and uses it for a particular dish.
Some spiral pastas are a little longer than the others, some are hollow and some are colored. All the different options make for a plate of pasta that never gets boring. In our eyes, this is precisely the beauty of Italian cuisine!
What are spiral pastas made of?
Spiral pastas are made from different types of wheat. Most are made from durum wheat. Also called durum wheat.
Spiral pastas made from durum wheat are available in whole wheat and the “white” variety. In addition to pasta made of durum wheat, you can also choose spelt wheat. Spelt wheat can be seen as the ancestor of durum wheat. Also with spelt pasta, you can choose the whole wheat or the “white” variant.
How is spiral pasta made?
Spiral pastas are generally all made the same way. After kneading the pasta dough, it is pressed through a special mold. This gives the pasta a specific shape. This is also the case for all spiral pastas.
Nice to know is that these molds of the better pastifici (pasta makers) are made of bronze. The bronze mold gives the pasta a rougher structure, which ultimately gives the pasta a better quality.
What do you use spiral pastas for?
Spiral pastas are often used for pasta dishes with a rich pasta sauce. The sauce creeps nicely between the grooves and therefore forms a beautiful whole with the pasta sauce.
You can also use the spiral-shaped pastas for a fresh pasta salad. Let your imagination run wild.
All the spiral pastas in a row
As you know, there are many spiral-shaped pastas. Each has its own name. Sometimes the same type of pasta is described by different names.
We will help you on your way and describe a number of spiral pastas below:
Fusilli
Fusilli is by far the best known and most commonly used spiral pasta type. You will surely have heard the name before. In fact, on the menu of most pasta restaurants, you’ll find at least one dish that uses fusilli.
The fusilli is a pasta of about 4 cm and looks like a twisted tube.
Spirelli
Spirelli is actually the same pasta as fusilli. Because the pasta is twisted and looks like a spiral it is also called spirelli. The Italian translation of spiral is spirello. So that’s where the name spirelli comes from.
Fusilli Lunghi
A beautiful spiral pasta is the fusilli lunghi. Literally translated: long fusilli. A pasta that is as long as a spaghetti but looks like a fusilli. A pasta to spice up your pasta dish.
Fusilloni
The fusilloni is a spiral-shaped pasta with a nice bite. The big brother of the famous fusilli is thicker and a bit longer. Literally translated fusilloni means large fusilli.
Trivelline
The trivelline is a spiral-shaped pasta which resembles a fusilli. The difference is in the spiral. The trivelline is more finely twisted than the fusilli.
Eliche
The eliche is a hollow pasta which is then spiralized. The shape resembles that of a corkscrew. A delicious pasta that you do not usually encounter.
Cellentani
The cellentani is the same spiral pasta as the eliche.
The most famous spiral pasta
We do not have to think about that for long. The most famous spiral pasta is of course the fusilli. Just Google fusilli dishes and you will find plenty of them. The fusilli fits into any dish and is therefore extremely popular.
Cooking spiral pasta
Spiral pasta you cook just like any other pasta type. Put a large pan of water on the heat. Wait for the water to boil and add the pasta to the boiling water.
The cooking time for most spiral pasta is about 9 minutes. Cooking pasta is not that difficult once you know how you should do it.