Grain Products Category

This triangular Italian pasta is similar to trenne, only smaller. Don't confuse this with trenette, which is a long ribbon of pasta.

Some pasta producers use the name tripolini to describe tiny bows which commemorate the Italian conquest of Tripoli. Some use it to describe long ribbons that are similar to fettuccine, but ruffled along one edge.

A Ligurian specialty, these are small, twisted bits of pasta. They're often served with pesto.

This is an egg pasta that's flavored with truffles. It's normally served with a cheese sauce.

These small pasta tubes work well in minestrone and other Italian soups. It's also one of the shapes used to make Spaghetti-Os.

This is a tiny version of tubetti ("little tubes"), a short, tubular Italian pasta shape. It's usually served in broths and light soups. It's also one of the shapes used to make Spaghetti-Os.

This large, tubular pasta is often stuffed and baked. It also goes well with hearty sauces.

These slippery Japanese wheat noodles are popular in southern Japan, where they're often served in soups or stews. They're roughly as thick as spaghetti, but they come in different widths. Dried udon noodles are available in Asian markets and health food stores. Cook them for about 11 minutes. Fresh udon noodles are called nama udon, and should be cooked for about 2 to 3 minutes.

This is made from urad dal, a type of Indian lentil. The flour is used to make pappadums and breads.

These are egg noodles used in Jewish dishes like kugel.

Vegetarians use these instead of gelatin, which is derived from the bones and tissues of animals. The most popular are agar and carrageen, both of which are derived from seaweed.

Vermicelli (Italian for "little worms") is similar to spaghetti, only with very thin strands. Serve it with very light sauces, or break up the rods and serve the pieces in a broth.

This Italian pasta is a thick version of vermicelli, that's often served with hearty meat sauces. It's hard to find in the United States.

The Vietnamese are fond of rice noodles, which range in size from the slender banh hoi (rice vermicelli) to bun (thin rice sticks) to banh pho (medium rice sticks). They also use slender bean threads made from mung bean starch (which they call bun tao or sometimes mien), and Chinese egg noodles.

Asian cooks often dredge foods in this before frying them, because it gives fried foods a crisp, nutty coating. It can also be used as a thickener. Look for it in Asian markets and health food stores. Don't confuse this with chestnut flour.

Includes: (from hardest to softest flours) durum wheat flour and semolina flour (typically used for making pastas), whole wheat flour and graham flour (typically mixed with all-purpose or bread flour to make bread or baked goods), bread flour (typically used for making yeast breads), all-purpose flour (can be used for breads and baked goods), pastry flour (typically used for pastries), and cake flour (typically used for cakes). Substitutions: See the all-purpose flour listing.

Several varieties of pasta are made with whole wheat instead of a more refined flour. This makes the pasta darker but more nutritious.

These thick rice noodles are popular both in Southeast Asia and China. Soak the noodles in hot water until soft, then either boil them or add them along with some broth to your stir-fry.

These are thin Chinese egg noodles of various widths. They're usually served in soups. They're available both fresh and dried in Asian markets.

Wontons are the Chinese answer to ravioli--small packets of meat encased in a thin noodle wrapper. The wrappers are made of flour, eggs, and water, and, once filled with meat, can be easily folded and pinched into shape. While assembling the wontons, keep the stack of wrappers moist by covering them with a damp towel. You can seal the dumplings with a "glue" made with cornstarch and water. The wrappers come in different thicknesses. The thin ones work best in soups, while the thicker ones are best for frying. Look for stacks of them wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator cases of Asian markets. Store them in the refrigerator or freezer, but let them come to room temperature before using.

This is the Middle Eastern and North African version of phyllo dough, with leaves that are slightly thicker and sometimes round. It's used to make savory pastries.

These come either as long, hollow rods or as short tubes, called cut ziti. They're often baked in casseroles.