Smaller than Rigatoni, recognizable by the scratches on the surface, the Rigatoncini, they have one full-bodied consistency, and are great for pasta alla norma.
The word rigatoni comes from the Italian word „rigate” which means ridged, grooved or lined. „Rigatoncini” are a smaller version, more similar in size to penne.
Rigatoni are a form of tube-shaped pasta of varying lengths and diameters. They are larger than penne, sedani and ziti and sometimes slightly curved, though nowhere near as curved as elbow macaroni. Rigatoni characteristically have ridges down their length, sometimes spiraling around the tube, like elicoidale. And unlike penne, rigatoni’s ends are cut square to the tube walls instead of diagonally.
Rigatoni were originally most popular in Lazio, especially Rome, where they are the traditional pasta partner for the Roman dish „la pagliata”, or „pajata” in the local dialect. However, rigatoni also became a particular favorite pasta shape in the south of Italy, especially in Sicily, where it is used in many typical dishes such as „alla Norma” (named after Bellini’s opera Norma), pasta „ncaciata alla siciliana’ (made famous by the books and TV series about Commissario Montalbano) and „Il Taganu or Tagano di Aragona” from Agrigento, which is traditionally prepared on Easter Saturday and eaten on Easter Monday.
Cooking time: 8 minutes
