With its distinctive short, ridged tubes, mezze maniche – literally meaning “half sleeves” in Italian – is a pasta shape made for capturing flavour. Shorter than rigatoni but similar in shape, mezze maniche holds onto sauces exceptionally well, thanks to its ridges and hollow centre. Whether paired with a hearty meat ragù, creamy carbonara, or simply dressed with olive oil and pecorino, it brings texture and depth to every bite.