Meredith's Best Pasta Salad - Ratings & Reviews

Homemade pasta can be cut into many shapes and sizes but the options are limited in comparison to factory made dried pastas. Some shapes and sizes can be cut by hand but many must be formed by the use of a machine and special cutting rollers and dies.

Making homemade pasta takes time and effort but it is an inexpensive way of providing you with a fresh, delicious tasting, delicate textured pasta. There are tools available to assist in the pasta making process that will make it easier and save time.

Pasta strands are long rods of pasta, which are generally round, but they are available in a square rod also. The basic difference from one variety to the next is the thickness of the strands.

Stuffed pasta consists of fresh pasta sheets that are stuffed with a filling. After the filling has been added, the pasta sheets are folded over and sealed, or another sheet is placed on top and the edges are sealed.

Soup pasta consists of pasta shapes that range in size from small to very tiny. The larger of the soup pastas are used in thicker based soups and the tiny and smaller pasta shapes are used in light or broth based soups.