Penne is an extruded type of pasta with cylinder-shaped pieces, their ends cut at an angle. Penne is the plural form of the Italian penna, deriving from Latin penna, and is a cognate of the English word pen. When this format was created, it was intended to imitate the then-ubiquitous fountain pen's steel nibs.The best penne is usually made with durum wheat, a cultivar known for its hardness and resilience. This type will remain chewy and resilient through the cooking process, even if slightly overcooked, whereas pasta made with softer wheats will tend to fall apart.