Rigatoni smaller version, close to the size of penne. Their name takes on the diminutive suffix "-ino" (pluralized "-ini") denoting their relative size. Rigatoni is a particular favorite pasta shape in the south of Italy, especially in Sicily. Its namesake ridges make better adhesive surfaces for sauces and grated cheese than smooth-sided pasta like ziti. Rigatoni Rigatoni are a form of tube-shaped pasta of varying lengths and diameters originating in Italy. They are larger than penne and ziti, and sometimes slightly curved, though nowhere near as curved as elbow macaroni. Rigatoni characteristically have ridges down their length, sometimes spiraling around the
Pasta processing order to avoid the two aforementioned consequences. When the pasta leaves the dies it has the moisture content of 31%. The final desired moisture of the dried pasta is about 12%, in order for the pasta to be rigid and have a long storage life. The drying process is slightly different for long and short pastas, but in general, pasta is exposed to hot air to dehydrate the pasta. “Pre-drying” starts immediately after extrusion where the pasta hardens on the outside but still soft on the inside. It takes one tenth of the whole drying time, and one third of