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Pasta Encyclopedia: Orzo
Orzo is a familiar shape that goes by many names – — risoni (or “big rice” in Italian) and puntalette (“tiny tips”) are just two of its other aliases. Orzo literally means “barley” in Italian, as the pasta shape resembles a grain of barley or rice. It’s often used in... more
Read morePasta Encyclopedia: Linguine
Linguine is one of the best-known pasta shapes, a staple of Italian-American cuisine for decades. But did you know that the name translates to “little tongues?” Linguine is similar to spaghetti or fettucine in length, but is actually oval in cross-section. In contrast, spaghetti ala chittarra is square in cross-section,... more
Read morePasta Encyclopedia: Ditalini
Ditalini translates to “little thimbles,” a reference to the diminutive tube shape Ditalini pasta is most typically used in Southern Italian cooking, and in particular the Campania region of Italy, where it graces Pasta e Fagioli, minestrone and other classic soups – or even a simple bowl of plain broth.... more
Read morePasta Encyclopedia: Cut Macaroni
Welcome to the Pasta Encyclopedia! In each issue, we will dive into everything you need to know about a select Barilla pasta cut. This issue, we’re talking about Cut Macaroni. Cut Macaroni, is named for its tubular shape that can vary in size and be either smooth or ridged. These... more
Read moreThe Pasta Encyclopedia – Gemelli
Gemelli derives its name from the Italian word for twins, a reference to the spiral shape that resembles two strands entwined around each other. However, it’s actually made from a single strand twisted into that spiral shape. These small pasta twists appear all over Italy, with tomato mozzarella and basil... more
Read moreThe Pasta Encyclopedia – Fusilli
Fusilli was originally made in central-southern Italy and Sardinia by taking a strand of spaghetti and rolling it around a knitting needle; similar to how yarn is spun around a spindle. Hence the name derives from the Italian word fuso for “spindle.” There are many versions with many different names,... more
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