Certain shapes work best with certain sauces and garnishes. For thin brothy sauces, concave shapes like conchiglie (small shells) and orecchiette (“little ears”) scoop up flavorful sauce with every bite. They also work best for dishes with small garnishes like peas or chopped vegetables. Longer pastas, which have plenty of surface area to adhere to, are right for thicker sauces, which will stick to long strands of spaghetti or linguine.