to commemorate the hasty flight from Egypt. As it must not ferment, no more than 18 minutes may elapse from mixing the flour and water until it is baked.
Tortilla Round, thin, soft, pliable, brown-speckled, creamy-white unleavened bread. A Mexican staple, tortillas are made from a dough of masa (flour ground from dried corn) or wheat flour, shaped and pressed, then cooked on a hot ungreased griddle, and eaten plain, or wrapped around various fillings, as in burritos and enchiladas.
Focaccia A rustic flattened, leavened regional Italian bread made with yeast, flour and water, seasoned with olive oil and herbs, its dimpled surface drizzled with oil and sprinkled with toppings.
Pita/Pitta A round or oval, flat, slightly leavened Middle Eastern wheat bread with an internal pocket that forms during baking. Soft-crusted, dense and chewy, it is split open and stuffed, used as a scoop, or toasted for fattoush, a traditional bread salad.
Pasta shapes
Macaroni The anglicized version of the Italian maccheroni, a hollow, tubular, short, sturdy dried pasta of various sizes. It may be straight or ‘elbow’ (curved).
Farfalle A sturdy pasta named for the butterflies its shape resembles, sometimes also called bow ties.
Fusilli A sturdy pasta twisted into a spiral or twist, either long or short, and in the case of fusilli bucati, hollow.
Penne Short lengths of hollow, tubular sturdy pasta cut diagonally at both ends like the quill pens for which it is named.
Conchiglie A sturdy pasta shaped like the conch-shell for which it is named. Its surface may be ribbed or smooth.
Cavatappi Short lengths of hollow, tubular, sturdy pasta, spiralled like corkscrews, for which they are named.
Gnocchi Hollow, shell-like shapes, ridged on their convex surface, with a closer resemblance to conchiglie than gnocchi (see p44).
Rigatoni Large hollow sturdy tubes of pasta with a grooved exterior surface.
Rotelli/ruote Small wheels of dried pasta, with hubs, spokes and smooth or grooved rims. Rotelli also denotes a spiral pasta.
Animaletti Dried pasta extruded in the form of various animal shapes; appealing to children.
Tubettini Very short lengths of small, hollow, dried pasta, literally called ‘tiny tubes’, typically used in light soups.
Orzo/risoni Small pasta, shaped like grains of rice, although named after barley. It is especially used in soup.
Long and Ribbon pasta
Spaghetti Long, thin, round, solid rods, literally called ‘thin strings’. The most universally popular form of pasta, and among the most versatile, spaghetti is made in several thicknesses, often graded by number.
Linguine Long, thin, solid rods of dried pasta, oval in section, like flattened spaghetti, literally called ‘little tongues’; also known as bavetti.
Tagliarini Long thin flat ribbons of fresh pasta, usually less than 3mm (⅛in) wide; the narrowest member of the tagliatelle family.
Vermicelli Long, fine, round, solid rods of dried pasta. Called vermicelli, literally ‘little worms’; in southern Italy, this thinner version of spaghetti is also called spaghettini.
Bavettini Long, thin, solid rods of dried pasta, oval in section, a finer version of linguine/bavetti (see above).
Fettuccine Long, flat, strips or ribbons of pasta, fresh or dried, about 9mm (⅜in) wide. Fettuccine is the Roman version of tagliatelle but traditionally is narrower and slightly thicker. (Fettuccia means small ribbons.)
Tagliolini Long, flat, paper-thin, very narrow ribbons of fresh or dried (as here) pasta, usually about 6mm (2/8in) wide. Part of the tagliatelle family of cut pasta, tagliolini is a wider version of tagliarini.
Capelli d’angelo Long, extremely fine strands of pasta, literally called ‘angel’s hair’. Normally sold as a nest or bundle, capelli d’angelo is used in soup or with a very light sauce.
Pappardelle Broad, flat ribbons of pasta, fresh or dried, often with a fluted edge. Of Tuscan origin, they traditionally accompany hare stew and go well with hearty meat-based sauces.