The impossible dream? Dan Pashman conquers a new pasta shape

How do you boil down a three-year quest to create a new pasta shape? Dan Pashman has always been fascinated with the engineering of eating. Pashman describes “dynamic contrast,” the idea of experiencing different textures in the same bite. “Most pasta shapes are not exciting to chew after a few bites,” claims Pashman. His new shape, cascatelli or “little waterfalls,” has been released, with its ruffles angling at 90 degrees and connecting to the main body of the noodle. Believing that pasta should be versatile, Pashman recommends using the pasta in Andrea Nguyen’s Mapo Tofu Spaghetti recipe.