Although the combinations are almost limitless, the following are some good guidelines on how best to optimize the effect on the palate and the digestion.
- Thin egg ribbons, like tagliolini, are mostly served with truffles, butter and Parmesan, or light fresh tomato sauces.
- Thicker ribbons, like tagliatelle, are good with sauces of tomato, mushroom, cheese, cream, ham and fish, and with Bolognese.
- Long flat dried pasta, like trenette or linguine, best suit pesto and sauces of tomato, meat and fish.
- Long pastas like spaghetti, lasagnette and festoni are best with tomato-based ragùs and for use in timbales and pasticcios.
- Tubes, both long and short, like rigatoni, are made for long-cooked tomato and other ragùs.
- Short shapes of pure semolina pasta, like cavatelli and orechiette, are very good with vegetable sauces like those using broccoli, cauliflower, chicory, artichoke, etc., and seafood sauces.
- Stuffed pastas, like ravioli and tortellini, need only simple sauces like the juices from a roast or butter and sage, or a light tomato sauce.