There are too many types and names of pasta to name, but these are some of the authentic pasta you will make in Southern Tuscany with Cook in Tuscany.

Pici – long round ribbons of soft dough that is hand rolled to perfection made with flour, water, olive oil

Faralle – Bowtie shaped made with flour, water, olive oil, eggs

Pappardelle – Thick flat ribbons of dough made with flour, water, olive oil, eggs

Tagliatille – medium width flat ribbons of dough made with flour, water, olive oil, eggs

Tagliertini –  thin flat ribbons of dough made with flour, water, olive oil, eggs

Ravioli – Flat sheets of pasta that are filled with a variety of fillings and cut into circles, squares, or shaped by hand into small pockets

The Sweetness of Doing Nothing

No one knows the real birth place of pasta, but Rome claims it.  They added water to semolina flour. Semolina grew to be a thriving crop in Italy because of the climate. By 1300 dry pasta was very popular for use on long journeys by sea or land due to its shelf life and nutritional value. When the mass migration of Italian families leaving their homeland led to hardship, pasta became a staple in their kitchens. Soon making homemade pasta became a mark of pride in the immigrate kitchen that we still see today around the family table and local restaurants.

Tomato sauce was not added to pasta until the 19^th century in the US. Tomatoes were considered inedible by some because they were in the nightshades family. These tales were soon put to rest and tomatoes were used in many recipes. Can you imagine pasta without sauce?

There are over 400 types and shapes of pasta, but all are made with basically the same ingredients – water and wheat flour. Sure some add salt, EVOO or egg yolks, but they start with water and flour.

Each type takes on its own personality and flavor when paired correctly with the proper sauce.

Each region in Italy boast its own pasta. Like Emilia-Romagna with its creamy sauces or the Piedmont region with butter and black truffle sauce. But, you would be hard pressed to find a better pasta sauce combination then the one in Montefollonico, Tuscany. The women of the village can roll pici as long as the streets in this tiny village in southern Tuscany. The soft dough is made with flour, water, salt and EVOO and is roll with precision into long ribbons. It is traditionally paired with aligione sauce (garlic and tomato). The pasta is not covered in sauce, but mixed lightly with just enough to complement the pasta and create perfection!

Come cook with us!  We roll pasta everyday!

George and Linda Meyers own and operate Cook in Tuscany, a cooking school in Tuscany, Italy.

Cook in Tuscany is a six-night all-inclusive Tuscan experience based in the village of Montefollonico that includes daily cooking lessons with local women, daily excursions, winery tours, cheese making, gourmet dinners, and tours of local and historic sites. Cook in Tuscany is a luxury culinary vacation for the traveler who wants to be a local and not a tourist.

Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France, England and other European countries.