Penne
Tubular pasta with angled ends, patented in 1865.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Penne are an extruded type of pasta in the shape of tubular pieces with ends cut at an angle, usually made from wheat flour. They are one of the few pasta shapes with a certain date of birth, originating from a patent for a diagonal cutting machine in 1865.
- type
- Pasta shape
- origin
- Italy
- inventor
- Giovanni Battista Capurro
- patent_year
- 1865
- place_of_origin
- San Martino d'Albaro (Genoa)
- variants
- Penne lisce, penne rigate, pennoni, mostaccioli
Lore & Background
Penne are the plural form of the Italian penna 'feather, pen', from Latin penna 'feather, quill', and are cognate with the English 'pen'. When this shape was created, it was intended to imitate the then-ubiquitous steel nib of fountain and dip pens. In 1865, Giovanni Battista Capurro, a pasta maker from San Martino d'Albaro (Genoa), obtained a patent for a diagonal cutting machine that cut fresh pasta into a pen shape without crushing it, in sizes from 3 cm (1 in) mezze penne 'half pens' to 5 cm (2 in) penne 'pens'.
Reader's Guide
Penne are a staple pasta shape, particularly adapted for sauces such as pesto, marinara, or arrabbiata, and are usually cooked al dente. In Italy, they are produced in two main variants: penne lisce (smooth) and penne rigate (ridged), with grooves running along their length. Pennoni are a wider version. In English-language contexts, a version is called mostaccioli ('little moustaches') by various manufacturers, which may be smooth or ridged. Penne all'arrabiata feature in several Italian films, including Ferreri's La Grande Bouffe and Fellini's Roma. A notable dish, Penne alla Salvatore Fiume, was created by Salvatore Fiume after winning a writer's cooking contest in Gardone; it is a baked penne rigate dish resembling the Italian flag, featuring butter, olive oil, crushed tomatoes, oregano, parmesan, mozzarella, and basil.
Did You Know?
- Penne are one of the few pasta shapes with a certain date of birth: 1865.
- The name penne comes from the Italian word for 'feather' or 'pen', imitating the steel nib of fountain and dip pens.
- Giovanni Battista Capurro patented a diagonal cutting machine for penne in 1865.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Penne?
Penne is an Italian extruded pasta shape, recognizable as a short hollow tube with its ends sliced at a slant. It is typically produced from wheat flour and sits in the cut-tube family of pastas.
What is Penne's origin story?
Penne's birth is tied to 1865, when Giovanni Battista Capurro patented a diagonal-cutting machine in San Martino d'Albaro, near Genoa. This gives Penne a documented inventor and creation year, a rarity among pasta shapes.
What are Penne's known variants?
The Penne family includes penne lisce (smooth-sided), penne rigate (ridged), the longer and wider pennoni, and the shorter mostaccioli. All share the same angled-tube silhouette but differ in surface texture or overall size.
Why is Penne important in the pasta world?
Penne stands out because its 1865 patent provides a clear, verifiable origin that most other pasta shapes lack. Its slanted-cut tube also makes it a practical, sauce-gripping staple in everyday Italian kitchens.
What does Penne look like physically?
Each piece is a short cylindrical tube whose two ends are trimmed on a diagonal rather than straight across. The hollow center combined with the angled opening helps it trap and hold sauces during cooking.
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