Penne lisce vs Ziti
Penne lisce is smooth diagonal-cut medium tube. Ziti is smooth medium tube, cut straight; sold long or cut.
Side by side, to scale
10 mmPenne lisce: 45 to 55 mm by 9 to 11 mm
Ziti: 50 to 60 mm by 9 to 11 mm
Footprints from the length and width in each record, one scale for both. See every shape on the chart.
| Family | Tubes | Tubes |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Liguria | Campania |
| Section | Smooth diagonal-cut medium tube | Smooth medium tube, cut straight; sold long or cut |
| Length | 45 to 55 mm | 50 to 60 mm |
| Width or diameter | 9 to 11 mm | 9 to 11 mm |
| Wall or thickness | 1 to 1.3 mm | 1 to 1.3 mm |
| Surface | Smooth | Smooth |
| Hollow | Yes | Yes |
| Dough | Semolina and water | Semolina and water |
| Cook time | 10 to 12 min | 11 to 14 min |
| Brands with a page | De Cecco, Rummo, Mancini, La Molisana | De Cecco, Rummo, Barilla, La Molisana |
| Catalogue numbers | De Cecco no. 40, Rummo no. 59, La Molisana no. 18 | De Cecco no. 118, Rummo no. 36, Rummo no. 10, La Molisana no. 36, La Molisana no. 8, La Molisana no. 10 |
| Cook time across brands | 9 to 11 min | 8 to 12 min |
| Brand dimensions | Rummo: 45 mm long, 8.4 mm across; Mancini: 45 mm long, 8.5 mm across | Rummo: 40 mm long, 8.4 mm across |
| Energy, dry, per 100 g | 371 kcal (dry semolina pasta) | 371 kcal (dry semolina pasta) |
| Protein, dry, per 100 g | 13.0 g | 13.0 g |
| Products catalogued | 8 | 74 |
| Pairs with | Pomodoro, Marinara, Norma, Baked (al forno), Cream sauce | Ragu napoletano, Baked (al forno), Pomodoro, Marinara, Meat ragu |
Penne lisce
Without ridges, sauce clings less to the outside, so penne lisce suits smooth sauces that fill the bore: tomato, a light cream, the Sicilian Norma, or a baked dish where the cheese does the holding.
Ziti
A smooth tube holds sauce inside the bore rather than on the surface, so it wants a sauce with enough body to fill it: a slow ragu, the Neapolitan onion Genovese, a baked tomato and cheese.
Can you swap them?
Ziti for penne lisce: yes, a smooth tube cut straight.
Penne lisce for ziti: yes, a smooth tube of the same width, cut diagonally.
Both take Pomodoro, Marinara, Baked (al forno).
Only penne lisce: Norma, Cream sauce.
Only ziti: Ragu napoletano, Meat ragu.
Sources
- Dimensions, surface, dough, and cook time: each shape page names the brand page, spec sheet, or measured box behind every figure.
- Brands, catalogue numbers, brand cook times, and brand dimensions: the brand product pages linked on each shape page, read on 2026-08-25.
- Energy and protein: USDA FoodData Central, per 100 g of the dough, public domain.
- Products catalogued: Open Food Facts, Open Database License, read on 2026-08-25. A crowd database: a count is a floor.