It is estimated that Italians eat over sixty pounds of pasta per person, per year. This love of pasta in Italy far outstrips the large durum wheat production of the country; therefore Italy must import wheat it uses for pasta!

Today There are roughly 350 different shapes and varieties of dried pasta, even more counting regional differences. Shapes range from simple tubes to bow ties to unique shapes like tennis rackets. Basically, Different shapes are better suited to hold different kinds of sauces.