One of the most famous Italian pasta shapes and loved across Italy, Penne, which means "pen" in Italian, gets its name from its shape. The tube-shape with angled ends was inspired by the quill of an old style ink pen.

Penne’s large diameter and ridges make it ideal for retaining sauces on its entire surface. Penne pairs well with chunky or vegetable-based sauces because its ridges can easily capture the sauce. Penne is also frequently used in dairy-based sauce or baked casserole dishes.