Editing Spaghetti

{{Short description|Type of pasta}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Refimprove|date=October 2024}}
{{pp-move-indef}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}} 
{{Infobox food
| name             = Spaghetti
| image            = Spaghettoni.jpg
| image_size       = 
| caption          = ''Spaghettoni''
| alternate_name   = 
| country          = [[Italy]]
| region           = 
| creator          = 
| course           = 
| type             = [[Pasta]]
| served           = 
| main_ingredient  = [[Semolina]] or [[flour]], water
| variations       = 
}}

'''Spaghetti''' ({{IPA|it|spaˈɡetti|lang}}) is a long, thin, solid, cylindrical [[pasta]].<ref name="dict">[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/spaghetti spaghetti]. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. (accessed: 3 June 2008).</ref> It is a [[staple food]] of traditional [[Italian cuisine]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Montanari |first=Massimo |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C3uyEAAAQBAJ&q=italy&pg=PT7 |title=A Short History of Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce: The Unbelievable True Story of the World's Most Beloved Dish |date=2021-11-16 |publisher=Europa Editions |isbn=978-1-60945-710-5 |language=en}}</ref> Like other pasta, spaghetti is made of [[Mill (grinding)|milled]] [[wheat]], water, and sometimes [[Enriched flour|enriched]] with vitamins and minerals. Italian spaghetti is typically made from [[durum]]-wheat [[semolina]].<ref name="nhg">{{cite web|url=http://www.bhg.com/recipes/ethnic-food/italian/how-to-make-spaghetti/|title=How to Make Spaghetti|publisher=Better Homes and Gardens}} Retrieved on 22 December 2014.</ref> Usually the pasta is white because refined flour is used, but whole wheat flour may be added.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Suo |first1=Xinying |last2=Pompei |first2=Francesca |last3=Bonfini |first3=Matteo |last4=Mustafa |first4=Ahmed M. |last5=Sagratini |first5=Gianni |last6=Wang |first6=Zhangcun |last7=Vittadini |first7=Elena |date=2023-03-01 |title=Quality of wholemeal pasta made with pigmented and ancient wheats |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878450X23000070 |journal=International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science |volume=31 |pages=100665 |doi=10.1016/j.ijgfs.2023.100665 |issn=1878-450X|hdl=11581/468816 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> ''Spaghettoni'' is a thicker form of spaghetti, while spaghettini is a thinner form. [[Capellini]] is a very thin spaghetti, while [[vermicelli]] refers to intermediate thicknesses.

Originally, spaghetti was notably long, but shorter lengths gained in popularity during the latter half of the 20th century and now it is most commonly available in {{convert|25|-|30|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} lengths. A variety of pasta dishes are based on it and it is frequently served with [[tomato sauce]], meat or vegetables.

==Etymology==
''Spaghetti'' is the plural form of the [[Italian language|Italian]] word ''spaghetto'', which is a [[diminutive]] of ''spago'', meaning 'thin string' or 'twine'.<ref name="dict" />

==History==
{{Expand section|date=October 2024}}

===Origin===
Some historians think that Arabs introduced pasta to Europe during a conquest of [[Sicily]]. In the West, it may have first been worked into long, thin forms in Sicily around the 12th century, as the ''[[Tabula Rogeriana]]'' of [[Muhammad al-Idrisi]] attested, reporting some traditions about the [[Kingdom of Sicily]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/doc/198607/pasta|title=Pasta|first=Corby |last=Kummer|date=1 July 1986|work=The Atlantic}}</ref>

[[File:Sommer, Giorgio (1834-1914) - n. 6144 - (Mangiamaccheroni).jpg|thumb|Photo by [[Giorgio Sommer]] (19th century)]]
The popularity of spaghetti spread throughout Italy after the establishment of spaghetti factories in the 19th century, enabling the mass production of spaghetti for the Italian market.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Whiteman|first1=Kate |last2=Boggiano|first2=Angela |last3=Wright|first3=Jeni |title=The Italian kitchen bible|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vgjwEGFNYoQC|year=2007|publisher=Hermes House|isbn=978-1-84038-875-6|pages=12–13}}</ref>

==Ingredients==
Spaghetti is made from ground grain (flour) and water.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EzSwCGBHr3YC&pg=PA635 | title=Professional Cooking for Canadian Chefs | publisher=John Wiley & Sons |author1=Gisslen, Wayne |author2=Griffin, Mary Ellen |author3=Le Cordon Bleu | year=2006 | pages=635 | isbn=0471663778}}</ref> Whole-wheat and multigrain spaghetti are also available.<ref name="nhg" />

==Production==

===Fresh spaghetti===
[[File:Pasta machine 2.jpg|thumb|Fresh spaghetti being prepared using a pasta machine]]
Pasta can be made at home, cutting sheets of flattened dough with a knife into ribbons,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-Pasta/?ALLSTEPS|title=Homemade Spaghetti|date=16 October 2008|work=Instructables.com|access-date=19 December 2014}}</ref> rather than spaghetti with circular cross-section. Some pasta machines have a spaghetti attachment with circular holes that extrude spaghetti, or shaped rollers that form cylindrical noodles.<ref name="Conran1997">{{cite book |last1=Conran |first1=Caroline |url=https://archive.org/details/essentialcookboo0000conr/page/238/mode/2up |title=The Essential Cook Book: The Back-to-basics Guide to Selecting, Preparing, Cooking, and Serving, the Very Best Of Food |location=New York, New York |publisher=Stewart, Tabori & Chang |year=1997 |pages=229,239 |isbn=978-1556706028 |accessdate=2024-08-15 }}</ref>

Spaghetti can be made by hand by manually rolling a ball of dough on a surface to make a long sausage shape. The ends of the sausage are pulled apart to make a long thin sausage. The ends are brought together and the loop pulled to make two long sausages. The process is repeated until the pasta is sufficiently thin. The pasta knobs at each end are cut off leaving many strands which may be hung up to dry.<ref name="Hand Pulling Noodle">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYZM_ZDZHlQ  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/TYZM_ZDZHlQ| archive-date=11 December 2021 |url-status=live|title=How To Make Hand-Pulled Noodles: Part 2 of 2, Pulling|author=Luke Rymarz|publisher=YouTube |date=24 June 2008}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Fresh spaghetti is usually cooked within hours of being formed. Commercial versions of fresh spaghetti are manufactured.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-17 |title=Fresh Spaghetti |url=https://www.metro.ca/en/online-grocery/aisles/pantry/herbs-spices-sauces/marinades-cooking-pastes/fresh-spaghetti/p/059749979818 |website=Metro}}</ref>

===Dried spaghetti===
The bulk of dried spaghetti is produced in factories using auger [[Food extrusion|extruders]]. While essentially simple, the process requires attention to detail to ensure that the mixing and kneading of the ingredients produces a homogeneous mix, without air bubbles. The forming dies have to be water cooled to prevent spoiling of the pasta by overheating. Drying of the newly formed spaghetti has to be carefully controlled to prevent strands sticking together, and to leave it with sufficient moisture so that it is not too brittle. Packaging for protection and display has developed from paper wrapping to plastic bags and boxes.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.epa.gov/ttnchie1/ap42/ch09/final/c9s09-5.pdf | title=Pasta Manufacturing | publisher=Epa.gov | date=August 1995 | access-date=19 December 2014}}</ref>

<gallery class="center" widths="180" heights="220">
File:Hydraulic Spaghetti Press with Automatic Spreader built by Consolidated Macaroni Machine Corporation 001.jpg|A hydraulic press with an automatic spreader by the [[Demaco|Consolidated Macaroni Machine Corporation]], Brooklyn, New York. This machine was the first to spread long cut alimentary paste products onto a drying stick.
File:Industrial spaghetti dryer built by Consolidated Macaroni Machine Corporation 01.jpg|An industrial dryer for spaghetti or other long goods pasta products, also by the Consolidated Macaroni Machine Corporation
File:Spaghetti spiral, 2008.jpg|Dried spaghetti
File:Spaghetti measure macro.jpg|Dried spaghetti measured with a "spaghetti measure". One portion of dried pasta weighs {{convert|116|g|oz|frac=8|abbr=on}}, twice the amount of one serving on the package (12&nbsp;mm circle or 60&nbsp;g.). The measure can portion out 1, 2, 3 or 4 servings based on the diameter of the circle.
</gallery>

==Preparation==
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2024}}
Fresh or dry spaghetti is cooked in a large pot of salted, boiling water and then drained in a [[colander]] (Italian: ''scolapasta'').

In Italy, spaghetti is generally cooked [[al dente]] ({{literally|to the tooth}}), fully cooked but still firm to the bite. It may also be cooked to a softer consistency.

''Spaghettoni'' is a thicker spaghetti which takes more time to cook. Spaghettini is a thinner form which takes less time to cook. [[Capellini]] is a very thin form of spaghetti which cooks very quickly.

[[Kitchen utensil|Utensils]] used in spaghetti preparation include the spaghetti scoop and spaghetti tongs.

<gallery class="center" widths="200" heights="160">
File:Spaghetti-cooking.jpg|Spaghetti being placed into a pot of boiling water for cooking
File:Spaghetti draining.jpg|Draining the water from boiled spaghetti
File:Spaghettiheber-02.jpg|A spaghetti scoop
File:Spaghettizaang.jpg|Spaghetti tongs
</gallery>

==Serving==
{{Main list|List of pasta dishes}}

===Italian cuisine===
{{Refimprove section|date=May 2025}}
[[File:Espaguetis carbonara.jpg|thumb|250px|Classic ''[[Carbonara|spaghetti alla carbonara]]'']]
An emblem of [[Italian cuisine]], spaghetti is frequently served with [[tomato sauce]], which may contain various [[herb]]s (especially [[oregano]] and [[basil]]), [[olive oil]], meat or vegetables. Other spaghetti preparations include [[Amatriciana sauce|amatriciana]] or [[carbonara]]. Grated [[Types of cheese#Hard cheese|hard cheeses]], such as ''[[pecorino romano]]'', [[Parmesan]], and [[Grana Padano]], are often sprinkled on top.

Below are some of the most important spaghetti dishes:
* ''[[Spaghetti alle vongole]]''{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}
* ''[[Spaghetti aglio e olio]]''<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.lacucinaitaliana.com/italian-food/how-to-cook/spaghetti-aglio-olio-e-peperoncino-the-easy-pasta-recipe
|title=Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino, the "Why-Not?" Midnight Pasta
|date=November 17, 2019
|publisher=La Cucina Italiana
|access-date=18 June 2024}}</ref>
* ''[[Spaghetti alla puttanesca]]''{{sfn|Zanini De Vita|Fant|2013|p=68}}
* ''[[Spaghetti alla Nerano]]''<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.lacucinaitaliana.com/recipe/pasta/spaghetti-alla-nerano
|title=Spaghetti alla Nerano
|date=August 29, 2023
|publisher=La Cucina Italiana
|access-date=18 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.lacucinaitaliana.com/italian-food/italian-dishes/how-to-make-spaghetti-alla-nerano
|title=The Basics of Spaghetti alla Nerano
|date=October 12, 2021
|publisher=La Cucina Italiana
|access-date=18 June 2024}}</ref>

<gallery class="center" heights="135" widths="120" mode="packed" caption="Spaghetti dishes">
File:Spaghetti alle vongole.jpg|''[[Spaghetti alle vongole]]''
File:Spaghetti di Gragnano e colatura di alici.jpg|''[[Spaghetti aglio e olio]]''
File:Pasta Puttanesca.jpg|''[[Spaghetti alla puttanesca]]''
File:Spaghettiallanerano.jpg|''[[Spaghetti alla Nerano]]''
</gallery>

===International cuisine===
[[Image:Spaghetti bolognese (hozinja).jpg|thumb|170px|[[Bolognese sauce#Spaghetti bolognese|Spaghetti bolognese]], very common outside of Italy, but not customary in that country]]
In the Philippines, a popular variant is the [[Filipino spaghetti]], which is distinctively sweet with the tomato sauce sweetened with [[banana ketchup]] or sugar. It typically uses a large amount of ''[[Picadillo|giniling]]'' ([[ground meat]]), sliced [[hot dog]]s, and cheese. The dish dates back to the period between the 1940s to the 1960s. During the [[History of the Philippines (1898–1946)|American Commonwealth Period]], a shortage of tomato supplies in the [[World War II|Second World War]] forced the development of the banana ketchup.<ref name="halpern">{{cite news |last1=Halpern |first1=Sue |last2=McKibben |first2=Bill |title=Filipino Cuisine Was Asian Fusion Before "Asian Fusion" Existed |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/filipino-cuisine-asian-fusion-180954947/ |access-date=16 December 2018 |work=Smithsonian Magazine |publisher=Smithsonian Institution |date=May 2015}}</ref><ref name="juancarlo">{{cite web |title=The Origin of the Filipino Style Spaghetti |url=https://juancarlo.ph/blog/origin-filipino-style-spaghetti/ |website=Juan Carlo |access-date=16 December 2018|date=15 April 2016 }}</ref><ref name="pepper">{{cite news |last1=Estrella |first1=Serna |title=The Origins of Sweet Spaghetti: A Closer Look at the Filipino Sweet Tooth |url=http://www.pepper.ph/history-sweet-spaghetti/ |access-date=16 December 2018 |work=Pepper.ph |date=30 July 2014}}</ref> Spaghetti was introduced by the Americans and was tweaked to suit the local Filipino predilection for sweet dishes.<ref name="aia">{{cite web |title=How to make Sweet Filipino Spaghetti with Meat Sauce |url=https://www.asianinamericamag.com/2012/10/filipino-spaghetti-with-meat-sauce-how-to-eat-sweet-spaghetti/ |website=Asian in America |access-date=16 December 2018|date=23 October 2012 }}</ref>

''Sapaketti phat khi mao'' (spaghetti fried [[Drunken noodles|drunken noodle]] style) is a popular dish in [[Thai cuisine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.realthairecipes.com/recipes/drunken-noodles/|title=Drunken Noodles » Real Thai Recipes » Authentic Thai recipes from Thailand|date=12 June 2007|website=Realthairecipes.com|access-date=15 September 2018}}</ref>

Spaghetti is a main part of ''[[laksa]] Johor'', a specialty from [[Johor]], Malaysia.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Durai |first1=Abirame Anne |title=Laksa Johor |url=https://www.kuali.com/recipe/malaysian-favourite/laksa-johor-3/ |website=Kuali |access-date=30 January 2022}}</ref>

==Consumption==
By 1955, annual consumption of spaghetti in Italy doubled from {{convert|14|kg|lb|0}} per person before World War II to {{convert|28|kg|lb|0|abbr=off}}.<ref name="1955cons">{{cite news|title=Spaghetti consumption up as national dish in Italy|last=Salerno|first=George|agency=[[United Press International|United Press]]|newspaper=Wilmington Morning Star|location=[[Wilmington, North Carolina]]|date=13 December 1956|volume=90|number=52}}</ref> By that year, Italy produced 1,432,990 tons of spaghetti, of which 74,000 were [[export]]ed, and had a production capacity of 3 million tons.<ref name="1955cons" />

==Nutrition==
{{Infobox nutritional value
| name            = Spaghetti (enriched, dry)
| image           = <!-- Filename is enough -->
| image_size      = <!-- Defaults to 235px -->
| image_alt       =
| caption         =
| serving_size    = {{cvt|70|g|oz|frac=4}}
| kJ              = 460
| carbs           = 22g
| starch          =
| sugars          = 0g
| lactose         =
| fiber           = 1g
| fat             = 0.5g
| satfat          = 0g
| transfat        = 0g
| monofat         =
| polyfat         =
| omega3fat       =
| omega6fat       =
| protein         = 4g
| tryptophan      =
| threonine       =
| isoleucine      =
| leucine         =
| lysine          =
| methionine      =
| cystine         =
| phenylalanine   =
| tyrosine        =
| valine          =
| arginine        =
| histidine       =
| alanine         =
| aspartic acid   =
| glutamic acid   =
| glycine         =
| proline         =
| serine          =
| hydroxyproline  =
| water           =
| alcohol         =
| caffeine        =
| vitA_ug         = 0
| vitA_iu         =
| betacarotene_ug =
| lutein_ug       =
| thiamin_mg      =
| riboflavin_mg   =
| niacin_mg       =
| pantothenic_mg  =
| vitB6_mg        =
| folate_ug       =
| vitB12_ug       =
| choline_mg      =
| vitC_mg         = 0
| vitD_ug         =
| vitD_iu         =
| vitE_mg         =
| vitK_ug         =
| calcium_mg      = 0
| iron_mg         = 4
| magnesium_mg    =
| manganese_mg    =
| phosphorus_mg   =
| potassium_mg    =
| sodium_mg       = 0
| zinc_mg         =
| opt1n           =
| opt1v           =
| opt2n           =
| opt2v           =
| opt3n           =
| opt3v           =
| opt4n           =
| opt4v           =
| note            = Source: USDA<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/HHFSSPAGHETTI100426oct2012.pdf | title=Spaghetti, Enriched, Dry | publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |date=October 2012| access-date=16 December 2014}}</ref>
| source          =
| source_usda     =
| noRDA           =
| float           =
}}

Pasta provides [[carbohydrate]]s, along with some [[protein]], [[iron]], [[dietary fiber]], [[potassium]], and [[B vitamins]].<ref name="Ridgwell">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5mDHzVbOAVIC&pg=PA94 | title=Examining Food and Nutrition | publisher=Heinemann | author=Ridgwell, Jenny | year=1996 | pages=94 | isbn=0435420585}}</ref> Pasta prepared with [[Whole grain|whole wheat]] grain provides more dietary fiber<ref name="Ridgwell"/> than that prepared with degermed flour.

==In popular culture==
[[File:Alberto Sordi - scena degli spaghetti - Un americano a Roma (1954).jpg|thumb|250px|[[Alberto Sordi]] in the movie ''[[An American in Rome]]'']]
Poorly structured [[computer]] [[source code]] is often described as ''[[spaghetti code]]''.<ref name="Markus4">{{cite journal|last1=Markus|first1=Pizka|title=Straightening spaghetti-code with refactoring?|journal=Software Engineering Research and Practice|date=2004|pages=846–852|url=http://itestra.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/04_itestra_straightening_spaghetti_code_with_refactoring.pdf|access-date=5 March 2018|archive-date=5 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180305202716/http://itestra.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/04_itestra_straightening_spaghetti_code_with_refactoring.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In women's clothing, very thin straps supporting a dress or topwear are called "[[Spaghetti strap|spaghetti straps]]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spaghetti%20strap|title=Definition of spaghetti strap |publisher=[[Merriam-Webster]]|access-date=June 28, 2019}}</ref>

The term ''[[spaghetti Western]]'' was used by American critics and those in other countries because most of the [[Western film|Western movies]] made in Europe were produced and directed by [[Cinema of Italy|Italians]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Introduction | first1 = Simon | last1 = Gelten | last2 = Lindberg | date = 10 November 2015| title = Introduction | website = Spaghetti Western Database | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170630005758/https://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Introduction | archive-date = 30 June 2017 | url-status = live | access-date = 2 May 2021}}</ref>

In the 1955 animated movie ''[[Lady and the Tramp]]'', the sequence of the title characters sharing a plate of spaghetti—climaxed by an accidental kiss as they swallow opposite ends of the same strand of spaghetti—is considered an iconic scene in American film history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.filmsite.org/iconicfilmscenes.html|title=100 Most Iconic Film Images, Moments, or Scenes|last=Dirks|first=Tim|work=filmsite|publisher=AMC|access-date=December 25, 2017|archive-date=July 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150718035200/https://www.filmsite.org/iconicfilmscenes.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The BBC television program ''[[Panorama (British TV programme)|Panorama]]'' featured a [[Spaghetti-tree hoax|hoax program about the spaghetti harvest]] in Switzerland on [[April Fools' Day]] in 1957.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/1/newsid_2819000/2819261.stm | title=1957: BBC fools the nation | publisher=[[BBC]] | work=On This Day | date=1 April 2005}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Commons category-inline}}
{{Wiktionary-inline}}
{{Portal|Italy|Food}}
* [[List of pasta]]
* ''[[Spaghetti alla chitarra]]'' (or ''maccheroni alla chitarra'')

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |last1=Zanini De Vita |first1=Oretta |last2=Fant |first2=Maureen B. |year=2013 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rUczAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA68 |title=Sauces & Shapes: Pasta the Italian Way |location=New York |publisher=W. W. Norton & Company |isbn=978-0-393-08243-2 }}

==Further reading==
* {{cite web | url=http://www.history.com/news/hungry-history/spaghetti-and-its-sauces | title=Spaghetti and Its Sauces | publisher=[[History (U.S. TV channel)|History Channel]] | date=12 June 2014 | access-date=16 December 2014 | author=Butler, Stephanie}}

{{Pasta}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Spaghetti| ]]
[[Category:Types of pasta]]
[[Category:Pasta]]
[[Category:Italian cuisine]]
[[Category:Italian words and phrases]]