Conchiglie facts for kids
Conchiglie rigate
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| Alternative names | Shells or seashells |
|---|---|
| Type | Pasta |
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Main ingredients | Durum wheat flour, possibly natural colour (tomato or spinach extract, squid ink) |
| Variations | Conchigliette |
Conchiglie (pronounced kon-KEE-lyay) is a fun type of pasta shaped like small seashells. People often call it "shells" or "seashells." This pasta is usually made from a special kind of wheat called durum wheat. You can also find colorful versions! These get their colors from natural things like tomato, spinach, or even squid ink. The cool shell shape helps hold onto all the yummy sauce, making every bite delicious. There's even a tiny version called conchigliette!
Where Does the Name Come From?
The name Conchiglie comes from the Italian word "conchiglia." This word means "seashell." Both the Italian word conchiglie and the English word "conch" (which is a type of large sea snail shell) come from the same ancient Greek word, kochýli, meaning "shell." So, the name perfectly describes its shape!
A Little Bit of History
Pasta shapes sometimes get their names from interesting places or events. In the 1930s, during a time when Italy was expanding its influence, some new pasta shapes were named after places in Africa. For example, there were shapes called tripoline (from Tripoli) and abissine (from Abyssinia, now Ethiopia).
However, in 2021, a pasta company faced criticism for using the name "abissine" in an advertisement. Because of this, they decided to rename the abissine pasta shape to conchiglie (shells). This change caused some discussion, with some people feeling it was a good update, while others thought it was unnecessary.
