Spaghetti is a long, thin, solid, cylindrical pasta. It is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine. Like other pasta, spaghetti is made of milled wheat, water, and sometimes enriched with vitamins and minerals. Italian spaghetti is typically made from durum-wheat semolina. Usually the pasta is white because refined flour is used, but whole wheat flour may be added. Spaghettoni is a thicker form of spaghetti, while spaghettini is a thinner form. Capellini is a very thin spaghetti, while vermicelli refers to intermediate widths, varying between the United States and Italy.
Tomato sauce can refer to many different sauces made primarily from tomatoes, usually to be served as part of a dish, rather than as a condiment. Tomato sauces are common for meat and vegetables, but they are perhaps best known as bases for sauces for Mexican salsas and Italian pasta dishes. Tomatoes have a rich flavor, high water content, soft flesh which breaks down easily, and the right composition to thicken into a sauce when stewed, without the need for thickeners such as roux or masa. All of these qualities make them ideal for simple and appealing sauces.
Tortellini is a type of stuffed pasta typical of the Italian cities of Bologna and Modena. Traditionally it is stuffed with a mix of meat, Parmesan cheese, egg and nutmeg and served in capon broth.
In cooking, al dente describes pasta or rice that is cooked to be firm to the bite. The term also extends to firmly-cooked vegetables.
Penne are an extruded type of pasta with tubular pieces, with ends cut at an angle. They are usually made from wheat flour.
Orzo, also known as risoni, is a form of short-cut pasta shaped like a large grain of rice. Orzo is traditionally made from flour, but it can also be made of whole grain. It is often made with semolina, a type of flour made from durum wheat.
Farfalle are a type of pasta. The name is derived from the Italian word farfalle (butterflies). In the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, farfalle are known as strichetti. A larger variation of farfalle is known as farfalloni, while the miniature version is called farfalline. Farfalle date back to the 16th century in the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions of Italy.
Rigatoni are a type of pasta. They are larger than penne and ziti, and sometimes slightly curved, but not as curved as elbow macaroni. Rigatoni are characterized by ridges along their length, sometimes spiraling around the tube; unlike penne, the ends of rigatoni are cut perpendicular to the tube walls instead of diagonally.
Pasta e fagioli is an Italian pasta soup of which there are several regional variants.
Pasta salad, known in Italian as insalata di pasta or pasta fredda, is a salad dish prepared with one or more types of pasta, almost always chilled or room temperature, and most often tossed in a vinegar, oil, or mayonnaise-based dressing. It is typically served as an appetiser (antipasto) or first course. Pasta salad is often regarded as a spring or summertime dish, but it can be served any time of year.
The Feast of the Seven Fishes is an Italian American celebration of Christmas Eve with dishes of fish and other seafood. It is not a "feast" in the sense of "holiday", but rather a grand meal. Christmas Eve is a vigil or fasting day, and the abundance of seafood reflects the observance of abstinence from meat until the feast of Christmas Day itself.
Neapolitan cuisine has ancient historical roots that date back to the Greco-Roman period, which was enriched over the centuries by the influence of the different cultures that controlled Naples and its kingdoms, such as that of Aragon and France.
Clam sauce is a topping for pasta, usually linguine. The two most popular varieties are white, usually featuring minced clams, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice or white wine, and parsley, and red, usually a thin tomato sauce with minced clams. Other variants include the incorporation of whole clams, hot pepper flakes and other ingredients. Clam juice may be used.
Casoncelli are a type of stuffed pasta typical of the culinary tradition of Lombardy, in the northcentral part of Italy.
Spaghetti alle vongole is a pasta dish consisting of spaghetti cooked with fresh clams. It is a traditional dish originating from the coastal regions of Southern Italy, particularly Naples and the Campania region. The preparation typically involves garlic, parsley, olive oil, and occasionally white wine. Palourde, or carpet-shell clams, are commonly used, along with the small Mediterranean wedge shell. There are numerous regional variations of the dish.
The traditional cuisine of Abruzzo is eclectic, drawing on pastoral, mountain, and coastal cuisine. Staples of Abruzzo cuisine include bread, pasta, meat, fish, cheese, and wine. The isolation which has characterized the region for centuries has ensured the independence of its culinary tradition from those of nearby regions. Local cuisine was widely appreciated in a 2013 survey among foreign tourists.
Clam juice is a broth derived from steamed clams, which can be consumed on its own or used as an ingredient in various dishes and beverages.
