Closer to couscous than extruded pasta, fregola from Sardinia, Italy, has an irregular, pebble-like shape with a coarse exterior that grips sauces. Historic producer Rustichella d'Abruzzo—a family company that traces its roots back to 1924 in Penne, Italy—makes its pasta using traditional methods, including slow-drying at low temperatures over the course of days. Fregola's pronounced wheaty flavor can be further enhanced through toasting in a dry skillet for a few minutes. Cook it like you would conventional pasta, in roiling salted water, or simmer like risotto for a creamy texture, adding small amounts of hot water or broth and stirring frequently; we also like to simmer it in soups and stews. Fregola cooks quickly, making it perfect for weeknight cooking.

North African couscous often appears in Sicilian cooking because of their geographic proximity—take, for instance, couscous alla Trapanese, which pairs fresh seafood with the tiny pasta shape. This satisfyingly chewy couscous is made with farro, an ancient grain with a light nutty flavor reminiscent of oats or barley. Historic Italian producer Rustichella d'Abruzzo—a family company that traces its roots back to 1924 in Penne, Italy—makes its pasta using traditional methods, including slow-drying at low temperatures over the course of days. Try Rustichella d'Abruzzo Farro Couscous with our North African Chicken Couscous.

Orecchiette—a small, round, dimpled pasta from Puglia—is one of our favorite pasta shapes because of its unique balancing of chewy and tender textures. The delicate edges cook more thoroughly than the dense, chewy center, providing textural contrast, and the cupped shape holds onto sauce. Rustichella d'Abruzzo's handmade version is made with Senatore Cappelli heirloom wheat, a native Italian varietal. The historic family company traces its roots back to 1924 in Penne, Italy, and still makes its pasta using traditional methods, including slow-drying at low temperatures over the course of days; this dedication and attention to detail result in high-quality, delicious orecchiette. Feel free to use it in any recipe where a chunky pasta is specified. Try one of our Tuesday Night favorites, Orecchiette with Sausage and Chard.