A pasta is born, meet Cascatelli the new waterfall shape invented by award-winning food podcaster
The waterfall pasta shape was designed for "sauceability" and "forkability."
One man is making good on his pasta promise to invent a new shape and, after three years in the making, cascatelli is ready for plating.
![PHOTO: A new pasta shape designed to hang on to more sauce and be easier to eat with a fork, named cascatelli after the Italian word for waterfalls, has been invented, March 3, 2021.](https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/new-pasta-shape-02-zp-jef-210323_1616521472402_hpEmbed_1x1_992.jpg)
The name comes from the Italian word "cascata" because of its little waterfall-shape with a delicate ribboned edge -- the result of research, trial and error from James Beard Award-winning podcaster Dan Pashman. He documented his quest to create the perfect shape in a five-episode series "Mission: ImPASTAble" for his podcast "The Sporkful."
Pashman wanted a new noodle that he repeatedly said needed three core qualities: How well sauce adheres to it, or "sauceability;" how easily it stays on a fork, or "forkability;" and how satisfying it is to sink one’s teeth into it, or "toothsinkability."
The podcast host's end result met all three criteria with a "short, flat strip with a bump on one side and two ruffles sticking out the other side."
![PHOTO: A new pasta shape designed to hang on to more sauce and be easier to eat with a fork, named cascatelli after the Italian word for waterfalls, has been invented, March 3, 2021.](https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/new-pasta-shape-03-zp-jef-210323_1616521472403_hpEmbed_1x1_992.jpg)
Cascatelli has two bucatini like tubes on the sides with small fluted ruffles that resemble mafaldine pasta.
Pashman, who is not a professional trained chef, teamed up with American artisan pasta brand Sfoglini to turn his specialty into a reality.
Early reviews by other top food industry professionals are in and so far they're great.
"I think it’s perfect," chef and recipe developer Sohla El-Waylly said on the final episode of his podcast. "Forkability, I'm gonna give it a 10."
![PHOTO: A new pasta shape designed to hang on to more sauce and be easier to eat with a fork, named cascatelli after the Italian word for waterfalls, has been invented, March 3, 2021.](https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/new-pasta-shape-01-zp-jef-210323_1616521422443_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg)
"I just love the way it captured the sauce and snuggled it," culinary guru and author Dorie Greenspan added.
Sadly, the shape is sold out in both 16-ounce packages and a 5-pound bulk bag.
"We're so grateful for the incredible response to our new pasta shape! Due to overwhelming demand, orders placed now for Cascatelli will ship in approximately 8-10 weeks," the Sfoglini team said in a press release. "We really appreciate your patience. We promise it'll be worth the wait!"
In the meantime, go get your favorite sauce recipes ready.