Penne

pasta · italian food · cooking

Tubular treasure. Penne are hollow tubes of pasta cut at sharp angles on both ends, kind of like tiny drumsticks. This shape is perfect because sauce gets stuck inside the tubes and coats every bite.

Angled on purpose. The ends are cut at a 45-degree angle, which is why penne looks so fancy and different from other pasta shapes. Those angles aren't just for looks, they actually help the pasta hold onto creamy or chunky sauces better.

Made from wheat. Most penne is made by mixing wheat flour with water and then pushing the dough through special machines that create those perfect tubes. It's dried out and cooked before you eat it, kind of like how other pasta is made.

Italian invention. Penne comes from Italy, where creative cooks invented tons of different pasta shapes for different foods. Each shape was designed to work best with certain sauces and dishes.