What Are The Most Traditional Pasta Shapes To Serve With Pesto?

Introduction
The world of pasta is fascinating and infuriating in equal measure. Local dialects, nicknames, household traditions, and infinite nuances explain why, despite some valiant efforts, it's been unfathomably hard for anyone to chart every shape. With the rise of 3D-printed pasta, the doors of possibility to chart every shape have been firmly and forever closed.

What we know for certain, though, is that three pasta shapes came to prominence around the same time as pesto and are irrefutably the most traditional and authentic shapes to pair with pesto.

We've provided a potted history of trofie, trenette, and silk handkerchiefs below, but remember what we said about pasta being infuriating? Some would argue that the list should also include picagge, gnocchi, and croxetti.

But let's not split hairs. Most of these shapes are a nightmare to get hold of in the UK (unless you import them), but we rather like that as it just adds to their mystique. It also means that if you're determined to try these pasta-pesto pairings, you must roll your sleeves up and make them yourself, which is perfectly fine with us.

Trofie
Some say that trofie (and its smaller cousin, trofiette) was invented by accident when a pasta maker in the Ligurian seaside town of Recco rubbed her hands together after kneading dough for hours. She liked the little twisted shapes that fell on the table before her, and a new pasta shape was born.

Made from nothing more than flour, water, and a little salt, some people regard trofie as a simple shape to make, while others think it's one of the hardest. We side with the latter because, while it's easy to make a passable trofie, creating a perfect one is something we still haven't mastered despite untold hours of trying.

Trenette
Nothing has done more to bring Trenette al Pesto into the spotlight than Disney-Pixar's smash hit Luca, where it makes no fewer than four guest appearances. It's a shape that's virtually impossible to track down in the UK, but using tagliatelle as a substitute will help you replicate the real deal.

Croxetti
If any style of pasta smacks of arrogance and wealth, then croxetti is it. It takes a certain kind of narcissist to stamp their family's coat of arms on their food and then gleefully watch their dinner guests envelop it.

That is unfortunate because croxetti (also called corzetti) doesn't only look great; sauces like pesto stick to it brilliantly. It's an absolute joy to eat and a shape we regularly turn to.

Silk handkerchiefs
We've learned the hard way not to engage in discussions with Italian chefs about whether basil is native to India or whether pasta was invented in China. There's no denying, however, that plenty of pasta names are inspired by countries and cultures a long way from Italy.

Silk handkerchief's Ligurian name, mandilli, is based on mandil, the Arabic word for a handkerchief. It's no great surprise that Genoa was once the most powerful port in the Mediterranean, with silk being one of its most profitable trading commodities.

Picagge
Roughly translated as "cotton ribbons" in the Genovese dialect, picagge gets its name from the ribbons that dressmakers traditionally used for decorative flourishes.

Nicknamed "Ligurian lasagne," picagge (which you may also find spelt piccagge or picaje) is an essentially short, medium-thick pappardelle. Often coloured green with borage, you may also find it made with chestnut flour, which provides a wonderfully decadent, nutty taste.

Gnocchi
Gnocchi is the easiest of all the Ligurian shapes to find in supermarkets, yet it is often poorly executed. We've counted over 15 ingredients in some supermarket gnocchi, including potassium sorbate, diglycerides, and acidity regulators. Yuk! The truth is, if you want top-quality gnocchi, you will have to make it yourself, which is no great hardship as it's a thoroughly enjoyable way to while away 60 minutes in the kitchen.

Further reading
While these shapes are undoubtedly the most traditional and authentic to pair with pesto, don't let tradition hold you back. We've already written at length about what we think are the best shapes to pair with pesto, but even that list is only the start of the journey.

Is 3D-printed pasta the future?
With 3D printing gaining traction in the food industry, we predict an avalanche of new pasta shapes will hit the market in the coming years. This technology enables chefs to produce shapes they cannot make by hand or traditional machinery. So, while we love giving a nod to the past, we also can't wait to see someone create a shape that is an even better match for pesto than anything that came before it.