Fifty Shapes of Yellow
Cooking Adventures in the Geometry of Pasta
by Giada Berlusconi
Fifty Shapes of Yellow
by Giada Berlusconi
Copyright © 2012, little BIG Books
ISBN 978-88-98285-02-0
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I’m sure you don’t even know that something like Quadrefiore or Radiatori pasta exists, do you?
Well, don’t worry. On April fools’ day 1957, the BBC broadcasted a three minute hoax report. The
“mockumentary” showed a family in Southern Switzerland harvesting Spaghetti from a fictitious
spaghetti tree. This looks ridiculous today but at that time, pasta wasn’t widely eaten in the UK and a
lot of people phoned into the BBC to know how they could actually grow their spaghetti tree.
So, if you know that Spaghetti don’t grow on trees, that’s a good start.
There are hundreds of different pasta shapes (and sizes) that serve the needs of different sauces and
ingredients. And each shape has its own history and position on the dining table.
And what about the names? Maltagliati means “badly cut”, Strozzapreti “priest strangler”, Sorpresine
“little surprises”, Capelli d’Angelo “angel’s hair”, Cavatappi “corkscrew”, just to name a few.
From this great variety, I chose fifty shapes and combined each with the proper sauce.
So, enjoy these recipes and remember: sometimes food is even better than sex!
Giada Berlusconi
Every recipe is intended as main course and serves four.
One pound of pasta is needed except where otherwise specified.
Pasta needs to be boiled in six quarts of water with three tablespoons of kosher salt, although some
spicy recipes need only two (but you’ll find the instructions when needed).
Cooking pasta “al dente” means about one minute less than the instructions on the package.
If pasta needs to be baked or sauté, “al dente” means two minutes less.
Adjust the time according to the recipe.
And finally never, ever, rinse pasta.
Table of Shapes
Bavette
Bucatini
Calamaretti
Campanelle
Canneroni
Capelli d’Angelo
Casarecce
Cavatappi
Cavatelli
Conchiglie
Creste di Gallo
Ditalini
Eliche
Elicoidali
Farfalle
Farfalle Tonde
Festonati
Fettuccine
Fisarmoniche
Fusilli
Fusilli Bucati Lunghi
Garganelli
Gnocchetti Sardi
Gomiti
Gramigna
Linguine
Lumaconi
Maccheroni
Maltagliati
Mezze Penne
Orecchiette
Paccheri
Penne
Pipe Rigate
Quadrefiore
Radiatori
Riccioli
Rigatoni
Ruote
Sedani
Sorpresine
Spaghetti
Spirali
Strozzapreti
Tagliatelle
Tagliolini
Tortiglioni
Trennette
Trofie
Ziti Lunghi
Common Measurements
US cooking measurements vs UK
Bavette
Bavette Cacio e Pepe
(Bavette with Cheese and Pepper)
Preparation Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: 15 min.
Serves: 4
Difficulty: ★✪✪✪✪
Ingredients
1 pound Bavette pasta
1 ¾ cups freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
freshly ground black pepper
kosher salt
Directions
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil (six quarts of water, two tablespoons of kosher salt).
Put Pecorino cheese in a large, non reactive bowl (ceramic or glass, do not use plastic or metal), add
two or more tablespoons of cooking water until mixture is creamy.
Cook pasta “al dente”.
Remove the bavette from the pot with a pasta ladle or with tongs (do not drain them) and transfer to
the bowl.
Toss. If pasta is too dry, add more cooking water.
Sprinkle black pepper generously over and serve immediately.
Bucatini
Bucatini all’Amatriciana
(Bucatini with Tomato and Pancetta Sauce)
Preparation Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 25 min.
Serves: 4
Difficulty: ★★✪✪✪
Ingredients
1 pound Bucatini pasta
½ pound guanciale (do not use bacon), cut in ¼ inch strips
1 (14 oz) can San Marzano tomatoes, passed through the food mill
2 tablespoons lard
½ tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
salt
kosher salt
Directions
Bring six quarts of water to a boil and add two tablespoons of kosher salt.
Heat lard in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add guanciale and red pepper flakes. Brown over low heat for two minutes.
Add tomatoes.
Season with salt. Taste.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about ten minutes.
Cook pasta “al dente”.
Drain and transfer to the saucepan.
Stir and coat with the sauce.
Add Pecorino cheese.
Toss to coat and serve.
Calamaretti
Calamaretti con Calamari
(Calamaretti with Tomatoes and Squids)
Preparation Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 20 min.
Serves: 4
Difficulty: ★★✪✪✪
Ingredients
⅔ pound Calamaretti pasta
⅔ pound cleaned squids, cut into small thick rings
1 (14 oz) can tomato purée
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped
¼ cup white wine
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
kosher salt
Directions
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic. After a minute, add chilli.
Cook for about five minutes, stirring.
Add tomato purée and wine.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium.
Add squids.
Cook for three minutes or until tender.
Remove from heat. Stir parsley in.
Cook pasta “al dente”, drain and transfer to the saucepan.
Stir gently for a couple of minutes. Serve.
Campanelle
Campanelle al Forno
(Baked Campanelle with Mozzarella and
Parmigiano Cheese)
Preparation Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 25 min.
Serves: 4
Difficulty: ★✪✪✪✪
Ingredients
1 pound Campanelle pasta
1 ⅓ cup finely shredded Mozzarella cheese
⅔ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook pasta until very “al dente” (two minutes less than the instructions on the package) and drain .
Transfer to the baking pan.
Add olive oil, mozzarella, half serving of Parmigiano cheese and stir.
Sprinkle remaining Parmigiano on top.
Bake until cheese melts (about ten minutes).
Serve immediately.
Canneroni
Canneroni Cozze e Fagioli
(Canneroni with Beans and Mussels)
Preparation Time: 20 min.
Cooking Time: 30 min.
Serves: 4
Difficulty: ★★★✪✪
Ingredients
⅔ pound Canneroni pasta
⅔ pound beans, soaked and cooked
30 mussels, washed
½ pound fresh cherry tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
freshly ground black pepper
kosher salt
Directions
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add mussels and cover. Cook until shells open (four/five minutes, discard mussels that won’t open).
Keep the water released. Remove top shells. Put the saucepan aside.
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
Add tomatoes and brown with onion and garlic for three minutes.
Add beans and cook for another two minutes.
Cook pasta “al dente”, drain and add to the sauté pan along with mussels, cooking water and parsley.
Toss gently.
Sprinkle pepper on top and serve.
Capelli d’Angelo
Capelli d’Angelo Zafferano e Porri
(Capelli d’Angelo in Leak Saffron Cream)
Preparation Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 30 min.
Serves: 4
Difficulty: ★★★✪✪
Ingredients
1 pound Capelli d'Angelo pasta
1 ½ cups heavy cream
2 leeks
⅓ cup dry white wine
⅓ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
a pinch (⅛ teaspoon) saffron
black pepper
salt
kosher salt
Directions
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over low heat.
Slice leeks, remove green part and brown .
Add wine and cook for three minutes.
Add cream, raise heat and cook for about ten minutes until reduced.
Add saffron and stir.
Season with salt and pepper. Taste.
Cook the Capelli d’Angelo for one and a half minute only, drain and transfer to a glass or ceramic
bowl.
Add saffron sauce and toss gently.
Add Pecorino cheese and serve hot.
Casarecce
Casarecce alle Zucchine
(Casarecce with Zucchini)
Preparation Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 20 min.
Serves: 4
Difficulty: ★★✪✪✪
Ingredients
¾ pound Casarecce pasta
4 small zucchini cut into ¼ inch round slices
1 garlic clove
½ onion, finely chopped
⅓ cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
freshly ground black pepper
kosher salt
Directions
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
Brown onion and garlic.
Remove garlic, add zucchini and cook over high heat for five minutes.
Reduce heat, add wine and cook for another five minutes.
Cook pasta “al dente”, drain and add to the sauté pan.
Sauté for two minutes.
Top with black pepper and Parmigiano cheese. Serve.
Cavatappi
Cavatappi al Vino Rosso
(Cavatappi with Red Wine)
Preparation Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 20 min.
Serves: 4
Difficulty: ★★✪✪✪
Ingredients
1 pound Cavatappi pasta
2 cups dry red wine
2 finely chopped onions
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt
kosher salt
Directions
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
Add onion and fry until brown.
Add half serving of red wine and two tablespoons of cooking water. Cook for a couple of minutes.
Season with salt. Taste.
Cook pasta very “al dente” (two minutes less than the instructions on the package) and transfer it to
the sauté pan.
Add remaining wine and stir well until the smell of wine is cooked off but the pan is not dry (about
two minutes).
Serve.