> Andrea, I've always wondered what the names of popular pasta types actually mean in Italian. Spaghetti means 'strings,' I know. Vermicelli means 'worms.' (And I'm told Italians use 'vermicelli' to refer to what Americans call 'spaghetti.' :-) So what does 'penne' mean (and others like macaroni, manicotti, rigatoni, rotelle, rotini, tagliatelle and tagliolini, tortellini, ziti, etc.)?

Penne means Pen, I know this because my mom learned to make Penne Arabiata (sp?) pasta while we lived in Italy. She said it translates to 'flaming pens.' Arabiata is a hot spicy tomato sauce.

I don't know what any other mean. But I'm hungry now.

Sen'likes a nice Marinaria (sp?) sauce myself'try