Penne Vs Mostaccioli: The Difference Between Tube Pastas

When it comes to tube pasta, penne rules the Italian plate. But there's a very close family member snagging its own portion of pasta praise, namely the very similar mostaccioli from Southern Italy. Though the two can be used interchangeably in recipes, they have noticeable differences that can influence how they're used in Italian cooking. 

Both penne and mostaccioli are short, stubby, tubular types of pasta with hollow interiors and angled edge cuts on each side. At first glance, it's easy to assume they're identical — until you examine the outer texture. Traditional penne is cloaked in small, straight ridges running perpendicular from end to end, while mostaccioli sports a sleek, smooth surface. This is the telltale difference between penne, which hails from Northern Italy, and mostaccioli from Campania in the South. That distinction is subtle, but a true Italian food devotee will eventually learn the implications of those little ridges. 

Because of the ridges, penne presents as a heartier pasta when cooked, compared to the smooth, soft, mouth feel of mostaccioli. Depending on the type of sauce accompanying each one, it can be quite a different eating experience. Those divergent textures will, in fact, help determine the appropriate sauce for the best pasta dish. Aside from texture, these tubular titans of Italian cuisine have a lot in common, including ingredients, taste, and up to a point, similar production processes. 

In some ways, penne is an all-encompassing term referring to any cylindrical tube pasta with angle-cut ends. The Italian word penna actually translates as quill, tip, or feather, likely a throwback to the days of quill-tip feather writing pens. What most people consider classic penne is known in Italy as rigate penne, meaning the ridged version. Mostaccioli, on the other hand, can be referred to as penne lisce, meaning smooth, sleek, or straight — indicating the smooth outer texture and lack of ridges on this pasta. 

Handmade versions of classic penne pasta existed as far back as 1865, specifically tied to the invention of a diagonal-slant pasta-cutting machine. It was the brainchild of Giovanni Battista Dapurro, a pasta maker from a small town near Genoa, Italy, who was tired of working with scissor-cut pasta prone to breakage and uneven edges. The ridges developed later, over time, with the implementation of a special die technique that helps the surface area absorb more of the accompanying sauce. Mostaccioli follows the same production approach but without the added ridge-cutting die. 

The ingredients in penne and mostacciola are pretty much the same: Flour and water. Variations in the flour can exist depending on region or preference, but the most common is semolina; there are also versions made with durum wheat. The taste differences between the two pastas come mostly with the sauces, which pair better or worse in certain types of dishes. 

Cooking with any type of tube pasta has the distinct advantage of nestling the sauce within the hollow interior. Each bite gives a burst of saucy goodness. However, classic rigate (ridged) penne doubles the effect with its engraved exterior ridges, which serve as tiny grooves for cradling aromatic herbs, spices, garlic, and rivers of warm tomato-y or cheesy sauces. It's also a sturdier option for thick meat-based or chunky pastas. As one of the most popular types of pasta in America, penne pasta recipes abound.

Mostaccioli, with its smooth finish, turns soft and pliable when cooked, making it perfect for lighter sauces such as pesto or creamy red varieties, or diced Roma tomatoes with olive oil. It also works well with cold pasta salads or baked casserole-style pasta dishes, such as this bubbly, cheesy mostaccioli dish from Tasting Table recipe developer Michelle McGlinn. It features a meat sauce made with Italian sausage, ground beef, and San Marzano tomatoes. White wine, myriad spices, and plenty of diced veggies finish out this mostaccioli casserole. 

Seafood is a good choice for both these tube pasta, including our penne ala vodka recipe with a seafood twist. Try incorporating shellfish, lobster meat, or even smoked salmon.