Maccheroni, Maccheroncelli

Historians cannot agree about where maccheroni originally came from. Some think maccheroni was first made in Sicily and is the result of the Arabic influence, while others attribute it to the Ligurians. Indeed, centuries ago Genova had the monopoly in the grain trade in the Mediterranean; hence its long tradition of pasta making.

Irrespective of its exact historical origins, maccheroni is synonymous with Italy. The term indicates a series of short pasta tubes, either smooth or fluted, like maccheroncelli, sedani rigati, maniche and many others. In the south, and especially in Naples, maccheroni is a generic term for all types of pasta. For example, the frittata di maccheroni, a pasta omelette so beloved of the Neapolitans, may use any type of pasta, including vermicelli, linguine and bucatini.