Farfalle

Farfalle is a pasta about 1 ½ inches (4 cm) long that is shaped like a butterfly, or a bow-tie if you like.

Farfalle is a classic pasta to serve with a plain tomato sauce that you will serve with olive oil at the table, as the shape will capture both beautifully.

It is also very easy to eat.

Sold dried.

Cooking Tips

When cooked just tender to the bite, the shape makes them respond beautifully to the texture and become “toothsome.” Becomes slimy when overcooked.

A simple pasta salad can be made with Farfalle cooked al dente, tossed in a few tablespoons of pesto from a jar, served in a bowl chilled with a drizzle of olive oil and a handful of toasted pine nuts on top.

Substitutes

Another kind of shaped pasta.

Language Notes

Farfalle means “butterflies” in Italian.

Smaller versions are called “farfalline”; larger versions are called “farfalloni”. “-ino” in Italian makes things smaller; “-one” makes them bigger.