cavatappi

[prettygoodword]

I was wondering about the origin of names of various pastas in my cupboard, and realized that would make an excellent theme week -- so, basta la pasta!, starting with:


cavatappi (kah-vuh-TAH-pee) - n., a pasta in the shape of spiral macaroni.



Thanks, WikiMedia!


Excellent for mac-n-cheese. In Italian, literally corkscrew, from cava, extract/pull out +‎ tappi, corks (singular form tappo). Not to be confused with fusilli, the other pasta often informally called corkscrew -- of which, more tomorrow.

---L.

Comments

[minoanmiss]

I love these! so curly.

[prettygoodword]

And slurpy at the same time.

[dhampyresa]

Excellent for mac-n-cheese

Is the "mac" not for "macaroni"?! :o

[prettygoodword]

In American English, the "mac" of mac-and-cheese is not restricted to the elbow tubes called "macaroni," but can be any short pasta -- especially those shapes that retain a thick sauce. Shells (conchiglie) are a common variant.