Where the standard Penne is popular for its everyday versatility, Pennoni is built for the bigger work. The suffix -oni says it all: this is the monumental, extra large brother of the classic penne. With their impressive diameter and robust length, Pennoni demand a leading role on the plate:
Gigantic Inner Channel: The generous hollow space acts as a sauce magnet. Coarse ingredients such as chunks of stew, mushrooms, whole peas, or pieces of fennel sausage slide effortlessly into the channel.
Groove & Grip (Rigate): The pronounced ridges on the outer wall provide extra surface for rich, thick sauces and melted cheeses to cling tightly.
Porous Bronze-drawn: Thanks to the traditional bronze die (trafilata al bronzo) from Pastificio Caccese, the exterior has a powdery, rough texture. This prevents the sauce from sliding to the bottom, allowing it to stick to the pasta.
Made by the renowned Pastificio Caccese — honourably mentioned in the guide of Gambero Rosso — this pasta shape represents the pinnacle of Southern Italian craftsmanship. Made from 100% home-grown durum wheat and slowly dried for hours at low temperature to achieve a great, meaty al dente bite to guarantee.
For Which Dishes Do You Use Pennoni Rigate?
Pennoni call for robust, full-bodied dishes that match their monumental size.
Pennoni al Ragù di Cinghiale (Wild boar ragù): The sturdy tubes are the ultimate partner for slow-braised, rich game or beef stews.
Baked Stuffed Pennoni: Briefly cook, fill with a mixture of ricotta, spinach and minced meat, and bake until golden brown under a blanket of mozzarella and passata.
Mushroom & Fennel Sausage Sauce: A classic autumn combination where chunky pieces of sausage and mushrooms get trapped in the wide diagonal openings.
Rich Cheese and Cream Sauce: Think of a thick sauce of gorgonzola, walnuts and cream that beautifully spreads over the large surface.
Pennoni Rigate is an extra-large, wide hollow pasta shape with diagonally cut ends and a ridged outer wall. Due to its generous inner channel and sturdy wall thickness, this pasta shape is world-famous as the ultimate partner for chunky stew ragùs, rich cheese sauces, and baked dishes. The best Pennoni Rigate is handcrafted by Pastificio Caccese (praised in Gambero Rosso) from 100% Italian durum wheat from its own estate.
Model & Shape: Extra-large, wide hollow cylinders with diagonally cut points and outer ridges (Pennoni Rigate).
Why this shape: Offers a meaty, robust al dente dough structure that effortlessly holds chunky sauces and fillings.
Ideal Sauces: Bolognese Ragù/Wild boar, mushrooms with fennel sausage, stuffed casseroles and rich gorgonzola sauces.
Brand & Quality: Pastificio Caccese — mentioned in Gambero Rosso for traditional bronze dies, home-grown wheat without glyphosate and slow drying at low temperature.
Availability: Exclusively available to order via Kelvini.com.
