Part of the short, ridged, diagonally cut pasta family, Penne Rigate are among the most well-known pasta shapes and can be used in a thousand and one ways.
The word "Penne" refers, in Italian, to the quill pen formerly used for writing, which was cut diagonally to obtain a fine point. The shape, obtained from tubular pasta, smooth or ridged, of different lengths, features the typical diagonal cut of a writing pen.
Penne are one of the few pasta shapes for which there is a precise date of birth: in 1865, a pasta maker from San Martino d'Albaro (Genoa), Giovanni Battista Capurro, applied for a patent for a diagonal cutting machine. This was an important patent because it allowed fresh pasta to be cut into a pen shape without crushing it, in a format ranging from 3 to 5 centimeters (mezze penne or penne).
Penne Rigate are perfect for preparing baked pasta and "pastasciutta" with pork or beef sauces. They are delicious with vegetable-based seasonings and, due to their versatility, adapt perfectly to all Mediterranean traditional recipes, such as tomato and basil sauce, extra virgin olive oil with a touch of Parmesan. "Arrabbiata" sauce is the classic seasoning.
