Scordo Pasta Challenge – Pasta Shape #102 Penne Lisce

(photo: penne lisce with tomato sauce, photo taken with iPhone hence grainy picture)

Say it slowly, almost in a whisper: “L-I-S-C-E” (doesn’t it sound sexy).  OK, come back to reality now and specifically the Scordo Pasta Challenge.  The word lisce is translated as smooth and part of the exquisite and versatile pasta shape known as penne lisce.  Penne lisce differs from it’s buddy penne rigate (rigate is translated as ridges) because of it’s smooth exterior making it ideal for creamed based sauces (think of peas with heavy cream and butter), tomato sauce, or paired simply with very good extra virgin olive oil and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano (very similar and less expensive than Parmigiano Reggiano).

For shape #102 we paired penne lisce, like so many of our pasta dishes in the Scordo Pasta Challenge, with a simple tomato sauce.  The pasta used for shape #102 was De Cecco.