National Pasta Day: 10 Classic Pasta Shape Names And Meanings

While you should never need an excuse to revel in carbohydrates, national pasta day provides a little extra justification to chow down on your favorite Italian noodle. Pasta is as much a staple in Italian cuisine as it is in American kitchens.

In honor of the special day, we've rounded up 10 favorite pastas whose names literally translate to their shape.

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1. Orecchiette

Translation: little ear

Breakdown: orecchia = "ear" and ette = "little"

Fast fact: Since originating in the Southern Italian region Apulia, orecchiette pasta is commonly prepared with cime di rapa (turnip tips), also known as the green vegetable rapini. In the United States, we know rapini to be broccoli di rapa aka broccoli rabe.

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2. Capellini

Translation: little hair (also referred to as "fine hair")

Breakdown: capello = "hair" and ini = "little" or "fine"

Fast fact: Does "angel hair" pasta ring a bell to anyone? While capellini is an Italian pasta staple, an even finer version called capellini d’'angelo has found its way into many popular dishes in the United States.

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3. Rotelle

Translation: little wheels

Breakdown: ruota = "wheels" and elle = "little"

Fast fast: Rotelle is most commonly referred to as "wagon-wheel pasta."

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4. Stelle

Translation: stars

Fast fact #1: You've probably seen star-shaped pasta referred to as stelline which just means "little stars"

Fast fact #2: While not a common type to see on a restaurant menu here in the states, Stelline pasta is popular to serve in hot soups, notably chicken noodle.

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5. Lumaconi

Translation: large snails

Breakdown: lumaca = "snails"

Fun fact: Lumaconi is actually a dry pasta with a foundation consisting predominately of water and semolina flour. In order to be molded into a sturdy enough base to withhold heavy filling, lumaconi is made to form a paste-like dough that is then pressed through a machine.

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6. Farfalle

Translation: butterflies

Fun Fact #1: Even thought the word farfalle literally translates to "butterflies," it is more commonly known for its bow-tie shape.

Fun Fact #2: Despite, its heavy Italian influences, farfalle has been a staple in cold Mediterranean pasta salads for decades.

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7. Cavatappi

Translation: corkscrew

Fast Fact #1: Thicker corkscrew pasta is also referred to as cellentani.

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8. Campanelle

Translation: little bells or bell flowers

Fast Fact #1: Also referred to as gigli or "lilies"

Fast Fact #2: In Italian, the word campanelle can also be used to mean "handbells."

Fast Fact #3: Most commonly prepared with a thick sauce and can be found in many casserole recipes.

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9. Conchiglie

Translation: shells

Fast Fact #1: Aside from the macaroni pasta, conchiglie, or more specifically conchigliette ("little shells"), is a popular substitute in many mac-n-cheese dishes.

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10. Fettuccine

Translation: little ribbons

Fast Fact #1: Gained notoriety for its epic pairing with Alfredo sauce, that it's tough to imagine eating fettuccine any other way!

Fast Fact #2: One of the main pastas found in Tuscan cuisines.

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Translations sourced from Garrubbo Pasta; Lead image credit by Food and Drink/REX/Shutterstock