Pasta Reference / Shape Guide

Pasta Shape and Thickness Guide

This is the conversion sheet for the base egg dough used in the fresh pasta dough recipe. Use the base recipe, then choose your final cut or filled format with these thickness targets.

Shape conversion Thickness targets Image placeholders

Roller settings vary by machine. Use the mm ranges as the true target and treat numeric settings as starting points.

Display units

Shapes and Targets

Use this with the base pasta dough recipe

Ribbon

Pappardelle

Sheet thickness: 1.2 to 1.5 mm (roller 5-6)0.047 to 0.059 in (roller 5-6)

Cut width: 20 to 30 mm0.79 to 1.18 in

Best with: Heavier ragus and long braises

Placeholder: pappardelle nest or ribbon cut

Ribbon

Tagliatelle

Sheet thickness: 1.0 to 1.2 mm (roller 6)0.039 to 0.047 in (roller 6)

Cut width: 6 to 8 mm0.24 to 0.31 in

Best with: Bolognese, mushroom cream, butter sauces

Placeholder: tagliatelle bundles

Ribbon

Fettuccine

Sheet thickness: 0.9 to 1.1 mm (roller 6-7)0.035 to 0.043 in (roller 6-7)

Cut width: 5 to 7 mm0.20 to 0.28 in

Best with: Cream sauces, pesto, lighter ragus

Placeholder: fettuccine strands

Long Cut

Tonnarelli

Sheet thickness: 1.0 to 1.2 mm before cutting0.039 to 0.047 in before cutting

Final profile: ~2 to 3 mm square strands~0.08 to 0.12 in square strands

Best with: Cacio e pepe, carbonara-style sauces

Placeholder: tonnarelli cross-section / strands

Sheet

Lasagna Sheets

Sheet thickness: 1.2 to 1.4 mm (roller 5-6)0.047 to 0.055 in (roller 5-6)

Panel size: Fit your baking dish dimensions

Best with: Layered bakes and rolled pasta builds

Placeholder: lasagna sheet panel

Filled Pasta Sheet

Ravioli / Tortellini Base

Sheet thickness: 0.8 to 1.0 mm (roller 7)0.031 to 0.039 in (roller 7)

Cut size: Depends on filling and mold style

Best with: Structured fillings and gentle sauce finishes

Placeholder: ravioli stamps or tortellini folds

Decorative Ribbon

Mafaldine-Style Ribbons

Sheet thickness: 1.0 to 1.2 mm (roller 6)0.039 to 0.047 in (roller 6)

Cut width: 12 to 15 mm, crimped edges0.47 to 0.59 in, crimped edges

Best with: Tomato-forward and oil-based sauces

Placeholder: mafaldine ribbon detail

Rustic

Maltagliati

Sheet thickness: 1.0 to 1.3 mm (roller 5-6)0.039 to 0.051 in (roller 5-6)

Cut style: Irregular diamonds or triangles

Best with: Brothy sauces and rustic ragus

Placeholder: mixed maltagliati cuts

Quick Selection Rules

Pair shape to sauce weight

Rule 1

Heavy Sauce, Wider Cut

Choose pappardelle or wide mafaldine for sauces with meat chunks or long-cooked reductions.

Rule 2

Emulsified Sauce, Narrower Cut

Choose tagliatelle, fettuccine, or tonnarelli when sauce consistency is silkier and less chunky.

Rule 3

Filled Pasta Needs Thinner Sheet

For ravioli or tortellini, roll thinner than ribbon cuts so seams seal cleanly and cook evenly.

Rule 4

Use Texture Targets, Not Just Numbers

If the sheet tears or turns translucent, you went too thin for this dough and shape; step back one setting.