The area around Naples has the type of air, climate and water which makes it natural to produce vermicelli, meaning ‘little worms’ (the term favoured for spaghetti in the south), which can still be found drying in the sun there. The dough for Neapolitan pasta is a mixture of hard durum semolina flour and water. The cooking time varies from 4 to 5 minutes for fine pasta and 8 to 9 minutes for the larger - and even 12 to 13 for the largest. Neapolitans like their pasta quite undercooked and a typical portion there would be 125 g (4½ oz) per person, while in other places 100 g (3½ oz) per person is more usual.