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August 1, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Everyday Life • Food & Drink

Bucatini

Bucatini is a type of Italian pasta shaped like thick spaghetti with a hole running through the centre.

Updated August 1, 20261 min readCited sources

Bucatini is a thick, hollow Italian pasta from Rome and the Lazio region. Its name comes from the Italian word *buco*, meaning “hole.”

What it is

Bucatini is a dried pasta made from durum wheat semolina and water. It looks like thick spaghetti but has a small hole running through the centre, which helps it hold sauces. It is typically about 25–30 cm long and 3 mm in diameter.

Why it matters

The hollow shape is key: it traps sauce inside the tube and clings to the outside, making bucatini ideal for hearty Roman dishes like amatriciana and carbonara-style preparations. It is also known as *perciatelli* in some regions.

Key details

Bucatini is widely available in Canadian grocery stores and Italian specialty shops. It pairs well with tomato-based sauces, guanciale, or pancetta, and is a staple in home cooking and restaurants across Canada.

In short

  • Long, thick pasta with a hollow centre, about 25–30 cm long.
  • Made from durum wheat semolina and water.
  • Holds sauces well, especially in Roman dishes like amatriciana.
  • Also called perciatelli; widely available in Canada.
Canadian angle

Bucatini is widely available in Canadian grocery stores and Italian specialty shops, and it is used in home cooking and restaurant dishes across Canada.

Quick questions

What is bucatini?
Bucatini is a type of Italian pasta shaped like a thick spaghetti tube with a hole running through the centre.
Where is bucatini from?
It is traditionally associated with Lazio, especially Rome, and is a staple in Roman-style pasta cooking.
What sauces go well with bucatini?
It is often paired with hearty sauces, especially tomato-based sauces and Roman preparations with guanciale or pancetta.

Sources

  1. Merriam-Webster — https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bucatini
    Supports: Definition as a pasta in the form of long, thin tubes; traditional serving note.
  2. Dictionary.com — https://www.dictionary.com/browse/bucatini
    Supports: Description as hollow, thicker-than-spaghetti pasta; association with Rome; name origin from Italian *buco*.
  3. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucatini
    Supports: Alternative name *perciatelli*; association with Lazio/Rome; ingredients and approximate dimensions.
  4. La Cucina Italiana — https://www.lacucinaitaliana.com/glossary/bucatini
    Supports: Definition, hollow centre, semolina base, and traditional Roman/Italian culinary use.