Although popular legend claims Marco Polo introduced pasta to Italy following his exploration of the Far East in the late 13th century, pasta can be traced back as far as the 4th century B.C., where an Etruscan tomb showed a group of natives making what appears to be pasta.

Pasta is a staple food of Italian cuisine and is divided into two broad categories: dried (pasta secca) and fresh (pasta fresca). Both dried and fresh pasta come in many shapes and varieties, with 310 specific forms known by over 1300 documented names.

In Italy, the names of specific pasta shapes or types often vary depending on the region and specific location. Some of the most common are Spaghetti, Lasagne, Linguine, Tagliatelle, Maccheroni, Penne, Rigatoni, Cannelloni...