Pasta is one of the most loved foods in Italy; then filled pasta is one of the musts of Italian cuisine. Making pasta is not only an edible practice, but also an art. Since ancient times, women who pulled the sheet, sfoglia, (i.e. pasta) by hand, the basis of all traditional first courses, were the sfogline. Making pasta at home was a family tradition, which allowed to save money and to lick one’s lips. For this reason there are various types of pasta shapes, to vary the weekly menu, despite the few ingredients available. Tagliolini, tagliatelle, maltagliati, tortelli… any shape was good to give a touch of creativity to lunch. The same goes for stuffed fresh pasta: let’s find out more.

Filled pasta: the magic of making pasta

Fresh filled pasta is one of the beauties of Italy. It consists of a sheet of fresh pasta that contains a different filling and closed in a particular format that determines its name. Enumerating all the shapes of filled pasta is an impossible task, also because there are regional variants. Stuffed pasta was born in the Renaissance period and it found its maximum diffusion in the regions of northern Italy. In fact, the most famous recipes of stuffed pasta belong to the area of ​​the Po Valley (Pianura Padana), which are still part of the Italian heritage and tradition today. Tortellini are part of this memory and even today when we talk about them it evokes scents of tradition and dedication. The same happens for ravioli. In any case, this ancient knowledge is a tradition that we want to pass on to future generations with care, professionalism and passion.

Filled pasta: the best known pasta shapes

As mentioned previously, there are a large number of local recipes, as well as a great deal of different names. The regional variations are many and even at a distance of a few kilometers the same name indicates different things. Let’s see together some of the most famous filled pasta shapes.

• Agnolotti: typical of Piedmont, they have a square shape and stuffed with roasted meat;
• Anolini: typical of the Parma and Piacenza area, they are round in shape with both smooth and serrated edges and stuffed with stewed meat;
• Cappelletti: typical of Emilia Romagna whose shape resembles a man’s hat, larger than the tortellino;
• Culurgiones: typical of Sardinia, the shape is that of a dumpling and the “spighita” closure, like an ear (spigha), is really difficult to do;
• Fagottini: although they do not have a typical regional origin, their shape is unique. The ends of a square meet in the center, completely closing the filling;
• Mezzelune: also known as Schlutzkrapfen, the shape resembles that of the crescent, smooth or indented;
• Ravioli: generic term to group all types of filled pasta with a square or round shape, superimposed on itself;
• Tortelli: typical of Emilia Romagna, they are similar to tortellini but vary in filling and size;
• Tortellini: the best known shape of filled pasta in Italy, they are traditionally very small. They are strictly served in broth;
• Pansotti: typical of Liguria, the name derives from the term “pancia” (belly), because the filling recalls its shape.

These are just some of the most popular pasta shapes, but there are many and many others. Anyone can play with their imagination and create their own shape of filled pasta. It must be said that although there are many shapes of fresh filled pasta, the authenticity of the ingredients and the passion for cooking are the main elements of a dish. Learn how to make pasta with us and feel like the sfogline. So have fun passing on the traditional pasta recipe, choose your favorite filling and… buon appetito!