Pasta different names depending upon the town and region. Common forms of pasta include long and short shapes, tubes, flat shapes or sheets, miniature shapes for soup, those meant to be filled or stuffed, and specialty or decorative shapes. As a category in Italian cuisine, both fresh and dried pastas are classically used in one of three kinds of prepared dishes: as "pasta asciutta" (or "pastasciutta"), cooked pasta is plated and served with a complementary side sauce or condiment; a second classification of pasta dishes is "pasta in brodo", in which the pasta is part of a soup-type dish. A third
Ziti are sauced or used in pasta salads. Ziti Ziti is an extruded pasta. It is smaller than rigatoni, but larger than mezzani. Ziti may have smooth sides, but the addition of the word (meaning "ridged") denotes lines or ridges on the pasta's outer surface. Ziti is similar to penne, but often has ends cut in a straight line versus diagonally. Penne are usually a little narrower and the ends are cut diagonally, suggesting a quill pen. Ziti are often stuffed and baked, where penne are sauced or used in pasta salads. Ziti in the US is most commonly associated with