Penne
Factory-made tubular pasta characterized by its distinctive oblique cut, reminiscent of a feather tip or the metal nib of a quill dip pen. Available in both smooth (lisce) and ridged (rigate) versions, penne is a doubly good sauce collector, both on its ridges and in its slanted tip.
History & Tradition
The name penne means "quills," referring to the old metal pen nib that had to be dipped in ink. In 1865, Giovanni Battista Capurro, a pasta maker from San Martino d'Albaro in Genoa, obtained a patent on a diagonal cutting machine that could snip fresh pasta tubes on the bias without flattening the ends, producing perfect quills quickly. Originally, penne were colored with pure saffron, which gave them a distinctive flavor. Today they are Italy's second most sold shape, with a family tree including bigger pennoni and smaller pennette, pennine, and pennettine.
Dough
How to Make
- Penne is a factory-made dried pasta shape, extruded from durum wheat flour and water through a die and cut on the diagonal.
- It is not typically made by hand at home.
- To cook, boil in abundant salted water until al dente, being careful not to undercook as the form can feel obstinate if too firm.