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Italian Pasta - The more you know, the more you’ll love!
Ciao! Have you ever tasted something so perfect and dreamy that you wished you could have it every day? Comfort food you simply cannot live without? It's a pasta dish, isn't it? Of course, it is! I mean, who can resist this ultimate food? We for sure cannot!
Did you know that there are over 350 types of pasta? Yes, 350!! Most dry pasta types are prepared using two simple ingredients semolina + water. Do you ever wonder about the secret behind every pasta tasting different? The answer is very simple, all credit goes to the different shapes they come in, which defines their capacity to hold on to sauce!
Pasta is such a popular food choice around the world, that it also has an official day to celebrate its existence - Internationational Pasta Day - 25th of October. Now, since this special day is around the corner, we want to introduce you to some extraordinary facts about your favourite pasta types. Read on for all the delicious deets.
| Farfalle |
Farfalle is an all-attractive bowtie-shaped pasta with a name that means 'butterflies' in Italian. How cute is that?! Originating from Emilia-Romagna and Lombardia region in the 1500s, this pasta type is prepared using everyday kitchen ingredients and is produced in different colours and flavours. The bowtie shape also helps in holding on to a large amount of sauce, making any dish prepared - delectable!
| Rigatoni |
Rigatoni is believed to have originated in Rome and over time has become a popular pick in the southern region of Italy. The name Rigatoni is derived from the word 'Rigato' which means ridged. It surely is a pasta type that makes its presence known on the table with its unmissable size and ability to make each bite a flavorful one.
| Penne |
Originating from the Campania region of Italy, Penne is one of the most common pasta types found in almost every market and grocery store. Penne is an Italian word and a quill pen inspires the name because of its shape. Like all the other pasta types, Penne also comes in a variety of types and is prepared using different combinations of ingredients. An ideal pick if you are craving pasta and plan on treating yourself to some scrumptious tomato basil penne pasta.
| Tagliatelle |
Tagliatelle is a speciality from the northern region of Italy and has a very special origin story. It's believed that these golden strips came into existence when in 1487, chef Mastro Zefirano was asked to prepare a unique recipe for the Lord’s daughter, Lucrezia Borgia, who was travelling to Ferrara to get married to the Duke Alfonso d’Este. Though just a myth, how fancy is that for an origin now?! Tagliatelle is prepared by rolling dough into a circle, folded over itself and cut, also giving way to its name, the Italian verb Tagliare translating 'to cut'. A must-try dish with this pasta has to be Tagliatelle Ragù Bolognese!
| Fusilli |
A pasta type that is great with any sauce, Fusilli sure knows the secret to make a dish look pretty + taste fabulous. Originally from the southern region of Italy, Fusilli was traditionally prepared by rolling and setting fresh Spaghetti around thin rods to dry. Even though the times have changed, the rod technique is still in use in many regions of Italy!
| Spaghetti |
Spaghetti is a pasta type that can be prepared with very few simple ingredients yet appears to be one of the most elegant. Spaghetti gets its name from the word Spago, which translates to string in English. An ancient pasta type that is popular and loved across the globe, Spaghetti is believed to have originated in the small Sicilian town of Trabia, and the residents not only consumed but also sold a long and thin variant of the same as of the year 1154.
Although there are a lot of myths surrounding the origin of pasta, there is no denying that no one adores and prepares pasta with such love and dedication as the Italians do. So much so that it is a staple in every Italian household! Now, who can beat that?!
With all this food talk, we are seriously craving a plate of pasta deliciousness. Surely, you plan to have some too! Well, go ahead and prepare a flavourful pasta dish for dinner tonight and do not forget to tell us all about it in the comment section below.
At Casinetto, we only source and cater the best products from all over Italy & Europe. Take a look at our collection of pasta specials today and make sure to pick your favourites!
Buon Appetito
Posted on October 25, 2023
Every Dessert Has a Season. Tiramisu Didn't Get the Memo
Every dessert has its season. This is not an opinion, it's just true, and somewhere inside you, you already know it. Chocolate lava cake is in December. The kind of thing you order when it's cold outside and you've stopped pretending to care about anything. Panna cotta is July, white, minimal, barely there, like it's also too hot to try. Crumble is October without question. Apple, pear, whatever's in the bowl, it belongs to grey skies and Sunday afternoons and the specific melancholy of a season ending. These desserts have their moment. They know it. They stay in their lane. Tiramisu does not stay in its lane Tiramisu shows up in January when you need something that feels like a decision. It shows up in April because the weather is nice and why not. It's on the menu in August at that outdoor restaurant and you order it even though it's 38 degrees because of course you do. It appears at Christmas, at birthdays, on a Wednesday with no occasion whatsoever. It does not check the calendar. It does not ask if this is a good time. And the thing is, it's never wrong. That's what separates it. Seasonal desserts are right once a year, maybe twice. Tiramisu is right in the way that a good espresso is right, in the way that sitting down after a long day is right. Not because of the weather. Because of what it does. It lifts. That's the whole job, and the job doesn't have an off-season. There's a reason Italian nonnas aren't making tiramisu only in autumn. There's a reason it's on every menu, in every month, in every city that has ever decided to take dessert seriously. It's not nostalgia. It's not a habit. The combination, espresso, mascarpone, cocoa, patience, works on a human being regardless of what the temperature is outside. Some things are just built differently The ones that prove it every time, in every season, start with the right ingredients. Mascarpone that tastes like it came from somewhere specific. Savoiardi that haven't forgotten what they're for. Cocoa that finishes clean. Not seasonal. Not occasional. Just right.
Casinetto Named Best Gourmet Food Supplier by CPI Media Group
We're proud to announce that Casinetto has been recognised as Best Gourmet Food Supplier by CPI Media Group, a distinction that reflects years of dedication to elevating the regional culinary landscape. What This Recognition Means This award acknowledges more than our product portfolio—it recognises our role as a trusted partner to the UAE and KSA's most discerning culinary professionals. From Michelin-starred kitchens to boutique delis, our clients rely on us to source ingredients that meet the exacting standards their reputations demand. The selection process evaluated suppliers across multiple criteria: product authenticity, supply chain reliability, portfolio diversity, and commitment to quality assurance. CPI Media Group's rigorous assessment underscores what sets Casinetto apart in an increasingly competitive market. The Casinetto Standard Excellence in gourmet food supply isn't just about logistics—it's about curation. Every product we represent, from French artisanal cheeses to Italian charcuterie, Spanish olive oils to premium pantry essentials, undergoes careful evaluation for provenance, quality, and market fit. Our team works directly with producers across Europe and beyond, ensuring traceability, authenticity, and consistent availability. This direct-source approach means our partners get more than products—they get the story, the expertise, and the assurance that comes with genuine partnerships. Looking Ahead As the regional F&B sector continues to evolve, so does our commitment to bringing the world's finest gourmet products to the Gulf. This recognition from CPI Media Group validates our approach and motivates us to raise the bar even higher. To our restaurant partners, retail clients, and culinary professionals who trust us with their most important ingredient decisions: thank you. Your standards drive our excellence. The best tables in the region deserve the best ingredients. That's the promise we renew with this recognition.
Italian Cuisine at the Heart of UNESCO’s Cultural Heritage
UNESCO has given special cultural heritage status to Italian cooking, viewing it as so much more than simply a set of recipes. This award honours Italian cuisine as a living tradition, as something to be practised, shared and handed down from one generation to the next. National favourites like pizza were already on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, but this respect extends beyond that. It honors italian traditional cooking in its entirety, and the way it is taught, preserved and practised all over Italy, both at home, where the teachings have been passed down from generation to generation in families, and through other venues such as home kitchens, food schools for young children and adults as well. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has championed the recognition of Italian cuisine since her election, captured its essence perfectly when she said that Italian cuisine is not just food or a set of recipes, but a culture, tradition, labour, and collective wealth. What Does This Mean? For millions of food lovers worldwide, this recognition is a reminder that the cuisine of Italy is worth slowing down to savour. It celebrates cooking that honours time, technique and ingredients selected with care. From crunchy Sicilian cannoli to Calabrian ’nduja, Italian food continues to excel by being characterful, deep and rooted in place. The announcement was made during a UNESCO assembly meeting in Delhi, where the cultural agency described Italian cuisine as a powerful way of connecting with family and community, whether at home, in schools, or through festivals, ceremonies, and social gatherings. Luigi Scordamaglia, CEO of Filiera Italia, has referred to the distinction as a joint success for the entire Made in Italy supply chain, underlining the team effort behind Italian food, from producers and handicrafts people to those who renew this tradition every day. He additionally stressed the Mediterranean diet, adding that when we refer to it, we are really talking about Italian cuisine itself, which is based on balance in unity, variety and respect for produce. At Casinetto, this recognition comes all too naturally. It embodies the same virtues we admire in any product we decide to carry: authenticity, tradition and food that tells a story worth preserving. We collaborate with producers who cherish tradition, value quality ingredients and believe in the integrity of their craft rather than cutting corners. The things we have on our shelves are not the result of trend-chasing, but rather an appreciation for the stories and know-how behind them, values that, by celebrating certain practices around the world, UNESCO has decided to endorse.