Some pastas are more delicate than others, which can affect how they're used. For example, spaghetti noodles are often paired with tomato sauces because they will break apart easily; whereas tagliatelle noodles would be better for dishes like Bolognese sauce where it needs to stay together.
Another consideration is the shape of pasta. Shapes like penne and rigatoni are great for chunky sauces because they're able to hold onto large chunks; whereas long, thin noodles like spaghetti or fettuccine will slide out easily when working with thinner sauces that don't have larger pieces in them. The type of sauce also determines which kind of noodle you should use. When making carbonara, chefs would choose tagliatelle over other types because it can catch all the tasty bits from bacon and egg yolks without falling apart; however, if they were making pesto then spaghetti might be better suited. These are just a few examples; there are many more options available depending on what your dish needs!
One thing to remember though is to wear your best chef apron when making pasta and sauces, preferably a bib apron which will protect you from splashing sauces.
Different types of pasta used by professional chefs include:
Linguine - This type of pasta is also known as "Italien spaghetti" and is similar to fettuccine in size.
Tagliatelle - This type of pasta is great for cream-based sauces like carbonara because its flat, wide shape captures the sauce well. It can also be served with pesto or meat ragu dishes.
Trenette - The name means “train track” which describes its appearance very accurately! Trenette are long pastas that work really well with fish-based sauces such as lemon & herbs or creamy white wine sauces.
Fusilli Lunghi - These intense spirals allow chefs to serve up some serious texture on plates while their holes capture thicker tomatoey ragus perfectly!
Spaghetti - Spaghetti is like a thin version of linguine. It can be served with a variety of sauces from carbonara to pesto and is great for pairing with seafood or meat dishes.
Fettuccine - Fettuccine is quite similar to pastas such as Tagliatelle and Pappardelle but is a little thinner. Fettuccine pairs well with heavy cream sauces; think Alfredo or Carbonara!
Rigatoni - Rigatoni pasta is thick tube-shaped pasta which is perfect for capturing that hearty, meaty ragu.
Pappardelle - Pappardelle is a broad and flat version of Tagliatelle (which we mentioned earlier). It's great for absorbing sauces but it also works well with heavy cream-based ones like Parmesan or Carbonara.
Tortellini - Tortellini are small folded shapes filled with ricotta cheese, spinach leaves or other flavorful ingredients. They're usually served in broth to help keep them nice and light so you can enjoy their delicate flavors even more!