Ruote pasta

Ruote is a round, wide pasta, with spokes coming into a central round, hollow axle. Ruote pasta is more commonly known as cartwheel pasta, since it comes in the shape of a ridged, six-spoke wagon wheel. You may also see it referred to a ruotine, ruote de carro, or most frequently, rotelle. Ruote literally means wheels in Italian. Ruote pasta is sometimes colored with vegetable dyes, which will make it appear green, orange, or a burgundy color. These colors make ruote pasta very appealing in summery pasta salads or as a colorful addition to soup. Keep in mind, however, that the various colors do not affect the flavor of the pasta unless it is specifically noted on the package.