Pasta comes in various shapes, each designed for different types of dishes and sauces. Common shapes include spaghetti, long and thin, ideal for light sauces, and penne, short tubes that hold thicker sauces well. Other shapes like farfalle, resembling butterflies, and fusilli, spiral-shaped, add visual appeal and texture to meals. Different pasta shapes also serve specific culinary purposes. For example, lasagna sheets are flat and layered in baked dishes, while ravioli are stuffed pockets that can be filled with various ingredients. The choice of shape can enhance the overall dining experience by complementing flavors and textures.