The shape library
Four shapes, four different sauces.
A shape is not decoration. Every one of these was invented to hold a particular kind of sauce, and swapping them is why a dish sometimes tastes thin for no obvious reason. Here is what each one is, and what it is for.
The four fresh pasta shapes we roll by hand in our Florence kitchen are pici, pappardelle, tagliatelle and tortelli. In short:
- Pici — thick hand-rolled strands of flour and water, no egg. Siena's pasta, built for garlicky aglione and wild boar ragù.
- Pappardelle — the widest ribbon, 2–3 cm of egg dough. Made to carry heavy game sauces: boar, hare, duck.
- Tagliatelle — a narrow egg ribbon, 6–8 mm. The everyday ribbon for meat ragù and mushrooms.
- Tortelli — filled parcels, in Tuscany most often with potato or ricotta and spinach. Dressed simply, with butter and sage or a little ragù.
Pici
Siena's thick hand-rolled strand — flour, water, no egg.
Read the shape
Pappardelle
The widest ribbon — built to carry wild boar and hare.
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Tagliatelle
The everyday egg ribbon, 6–8 mm — ragù's natural partner.
Read the shape
Tortelli
The filled parcel — in Tuscany, most often potato.
Read the shapeSide by side
| Shape | Dough | Cut | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pici | Flour & water, no egg | Rolled by hand, ~3 mm | Aglione, wild boar, cacio e pepe |
| Pappardelle | Egg dough | Flat ribbon, 2–3 cm | Wild boar, hare, duck, porcini |
| Tagliatelle | Egg dough | Flat ribbon, 6–8 mm | Meat ragù, mushrooms, butter |
| Tortelli | Egg dough, slightly thicker | Filled square or half-moon | Butter & sage, light ragù |
Questions, answered.
Why does pasta shape matter?
Shape decides how much sauce clings and how the pasta feels when you bite it. A thick, rough, porous strand like pici grips a chunky sauce that would slide straight off a smooth ribbon; a wide pappardelle gives a heavy game ragù something to sit on. Matching them is most of the difference between a good plate and a dull one.
What is the difference between pappardelle and tagliatelle?
Width, and therefore purpose. Pappardelle is cut 2–3 cm wide and is built for heavy, chunky game sauces like wild boar or hare. Tagliatelle is cut 6–8 mm and suits finer meat ragù and mushrooms. Same egg dough, different job.
Which Tuscan pasta shape is easiest to make by hand?
Pici, because there is no rolling pin and no machine involved — you cut a strip of dough and roll it under your palms. It is also the most forgiving: pici are meant to be uneven, and the wonky ones hold sauce better.
Do you need eggs to make fresh pasta?
No. Pici are made with just flour, water and a little olive oil — a poor kitchen's pasta from central Tuscany. Ribbons like tagliatelle and pappardelle, and filled shapes like tortelli, use an egg dough for the elasticity and richness they need.
Roll it yourself.
We teach all four of these shapes in a three-hour class in our Oltrarno kitchen — hands in the flour from the first minute, then everyone sits down to eat what they made. Max 8 guests, €95.
Going deeper
Our full guide to Tuscany's fresh pasta traditions — where each shape comes from and why the region cooks the way it does.
Read the Tuscan pasta guide