Penne lisce is the smooth cousin of penne rigate: short tubes with diagonally cut ends and a plain, ridge-free surface. Barilla makes No. 71 from durum wheat semolina and water and packs it in its blue Classic 500 g box. The pack suggests about 8 minutes of cooking for an al dente texture, which makes it one of the quicker pasta shapes to get on the table.
Because the surface is smooth, penne lisce suits lighter, more fluid sauces that coat the pasta evenly: cream and mushroom, pesto, fresh tomato and basil, or olive oil with garlic and chilli. It is also a good choice for tuna or chicken pasta salads and for oven bakes with béchamel. Cook it in plenty of salted boiling water and drain it just before it reaches the texture you like, as it will carry on softening in a hot sauce.
Store the unopened box in a cool, dry place. The ingredients are durum wheat semolina and water; the pasta contains gluten, and labels mention possible traces of soya.