There are more types of pasta than there are cell phone ringtones. Ok, maybe not quite that many. But there are a lot, anyway. Fortunately for the newcomer to the world of pasta, they break down along two broad categories: long and short. Or, more accurately, pasta shapes come mostly in two types: thin, long and solid, or short, tubed and curled.

Spaghetti is the most well-known, of course, though why that should be is shrouded in the mists of history.

Spaghetti, as nearly everyone knows, is the very prototype of long pasta. About a millimeter or two in diameter, typically about 10 inches long, and perfect for, well, spaghetti. Actually quite a healthy food, it does tempt nearly everyone to overindulge in a fine tomato sauce.

Fusilli (’twisted spaghetti’) is a nice, dare we say it, twist on plain spaghetti. This curled, yet still long, form of pasta makes for a wonderful variation. It still goes perfectly with a tomato sauce, but cream sauces don’t complain when mixed with it and neither will you.

Angel Hair or capellini (Italian for ‘fine hairs’) is very similar to spaghetti, but thinner and more delicate as the name suggests. Very fine for lighter sauces, it can also be used as an additive for soups or broken up and sprinkled on a salad.

Still thinner, are vermicelli (’little worms’). Don’t let the name put you off. This delectable form of pasta is the perfect ingredient for a lower calorie ’spaghetti’. It tends to get smothered if the tomato sauce is too heavy, but it works quite well plain or with a nice cream sauce.

Fettuccine (’small ribbons’) are aptly named, since they are shaped like longish, but fairly narrow ribbons. The perfect pasta under a fine cream sauce, they can also be used in cheese dishes and alongside a fine bit of meat. Alfredo is only one of the many ways to make use of this fine pasta.

Linguine (’little tongues’) are about midway between a spaghetti and fettuccine. Perfect with just about any sauce, they are also delicious plain on a salad with just a bit of oil. Many stir-fry dishes use linguine. After all, not all pasta dishes are Italian.

And, then, ahhh, there’s Lasagna. For those who want a larger, wider, heavier strip of pasta they can do no better. Used for, like the name says, lasagna it can also make a great base for other types of casserole. But don’t short change it. It does well with chopped vegetables and a wide variety of other combinations.

Any form of long pasta does well when it’s kept whole. After all, if it isn’t at least a few inches long, how can you wrap it around the fork?

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