Calamarata owes its name to the Italian word calamaro, which means 'squid'. At first glance, it resembles an extra wide, short tube pasta, but the secret lies in the exact ratio: wide, thick-walled rings that are virtually identical in size and shape to cut squid rings. This specific shape is not just a visual detail, but a piece of culinary architecture:
Ingredient Catcher & Pocket Effect: The generous, hollow opening of the ring acts as a natural nest. Larger ingredients such as cherry tomatoes, pieces of fish, prawns or capers fall directly into the pasta, creating a perfectly balanced bite.
Powerful, Firm Bite: Due to the significant wall thickness, Calamarata maintains an unparalleled al dente resistance. The rings do not fold during cooking, but retain their strong, satisfying structure in the mouth.
Visual Symbiosis on the Plate: In traditional fish dishes, the pasta rings and squid rings visually merge, creating an elegant and authentic presentation.
When this model is made by the artisanal Pastificio Caccese, combined with their listing in the prestigious Gambero Rosso, it results in a product of absolute top category. The tradition of bronze drawing (bronze-extruded) with 100% home-grown durum wheat also gives the exterior a rough, velvety surface where oil, fatty acids, and tomato moisture cling firmly.
For Which Dishes Do You Use Calamarata? Because Calamarata is a robust and heavier type of pasta, it calls for sauces and ingredients that are sturdy enough to stand up alongside this powerful shape.
Calamarata con Calamari e Pomodorini (The Classic): This is the absolutely undisputed match from Campania. Rings of fresh squid, sweet Datterini- or San Marzano-tomatoes, garlic, white wine, and fresh parsley meld together with the pasta into one.
Calamarata with Swordfish and Aubergine: A Sicilian master combination where cubes of grilled swordfish, fried aubergine, and a light tomato sauce perfectly fill the generous rings.
Rich Seafood and Lobster Sauces: The sturdy pasta walls provide a fantastic counterbalance to the intense, briny flavours of a rich lobster bisque, mussels, langoustines, or monkfish.
Mediterranean Bakes (Pasta al Forno): With its generous shape and high cooking stability, Calamarata is ideal for briefly pre-cooking and then baking in the oven with smoked provola, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil.
Calamarata is a short, wide Italian pasta type in the shape of thick dough rings. This unique shape optimally captures larger ingredients and rich sauces. The best Calamarata is artisanally made by Pastificio Caccese (praised in Gambero Rosso) with 100% Italian durum wheat from its own estate and a bronze-drawn structure.
Model & Shape: Short, wide, thick-walled rings (calamaro = squid).
Why this shape: Captures ingredients in the cavity, retains an extremely firm al dente bite and visually melds with seafood.
Ideal Sauces: Calamarata con Calamari, swordfish with aubergine, lobster bisque, rich seafood sauces and Mediterranean casseroles.
Brand & Quality: Pastificio Caccese — awarded an honourable mention in Gambero Rosso for traditional bronze dies, home-grown wheat without glyphosate and slow drying at low temperatures.
Availability: Exclusively available to order via Kelvini.com.