Conchiglie
Conchiglie rigate
Alternative namesShells or seashells
TypePasta
Place of originItaly
Main ingredientsDurum wheat flour, possibly natural colour (tomato or spinach extract, squid ink)
VariationsConchigliette

Conchiglie (Italian: [koŋˈkiʎʎe]), commonly known as "shells" or "seashells", is a type of pasta. It is usually sold in the plain durum wheat variety, and also in colored varieties which use natural pigments, such as tomato extract, squid ink or spinach extract. The shell shape of the pasta allows the sauce to adhere to it. A miniature variety called conchigliette is also available.

Etymology

The name derives from the Italian word for seashell (conchiglia). The Italian word conchiglie and the English word conch share the same Greek root in the form of κοχύλι (kochýli), which means 'shell'.[1]

Other names

In the 1930s, fascism[who?] celebrated the Italian colonial empire with new pasta shapes recalling the African lands: tripoline (Tripoli), bengasine (Bengasi), assabesi (Assab), and abissine (Abissinia). In 2021, after an outcry in objection to pasta brand La Molisana's advertising campaign, abissine were renamed as conchiglie (shells).[2][3] However, some complained, claiming this renaming constituted cancel culture.[4]

See also

Media related to Conchiglie at Wikimedia Commons

References

  1. ^ "What is the Greek word for shell?". WordHippo. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  2. ^ Cristiani, Nico (6 January 2021). "Pasta: La Molisana cambia nome ai formati colonialisti, sparite le Abissine". Scatti di Gusto. Vincenzo Pagano. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  3. ^ "And finally… basta pasta". Scottish Financial News. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  4. ^ Bruscino, Angelo (6 January 2021). "Caso La Molisana: contro la cancel culture all'amatriciana". Huffington Post Italia. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 5 March 2021.


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