Pasta perfect

Italian restaurants across the country are celebrating regional, artisanal pastas giving the pedestrian penne and mundane macaroni a miss. Quick question: What's common between a cap, a shell, a small ear and a handkerchief? And no, I'm not alluding to a fevered dream. Those who've guessed 'shapes of pasta' - take 10 points! Interestingly, chefs across the country are now pulling out all the stops to ensure that diners order pastas that are more exotic and obscure than the rather ubiquitous and pedestrian penne pomodoro.

Take for example the tiny ear-like orecchiette, which is a regional Italian pasta variety from Puglia that thanks to its concave centre and ridges is the perfect receptacle for thick sauces and meat ragouts. While it is served in a rustic styled sautêed vegetables and herbed sauce at Two One Two Bar & Grill in Mumbai, Italia in New Delhi sends out its orecchiette in a hearty pecorino-laced sauce with a hint of chilli.