Vermicelli

Not to be confused with rice vermicelli.

Vermicelli
TypePasta
Place of originItaly
Region or stateCampania
  • Cookbook: Vermicelli
  •   Media: Vermicelli

Vermicelli (/ˌvɜːrmɪˈtʃɛli, -ˈsɛli/,[1][2][3] UK: /ˌvɛərmɪˈtʃɛli/;[4] Italian: [vermiˈtʃɛlli]) is a type of pasta that is round in section, similar to spaghetti. In English-speaking regions, it is usually thinner than spaghetti,[5] while in Italy it is thicker. It is typically made with semolina.[6][7]

Thickness comparison

As defined in Italy, the diameters of spaghetti-like pasta are:

vermicelli
between 2.08 and 2.14 millimetres (0.082–0.084 in), with little variation between different producers.[8][9]
spaghetti
between 1.92 and 2.00 millimetres (0.076–0.079 in).[10]
vermicellini
(lit. 'thin vermicelli') between 1.75 and 1.80 millimetres (0.069–0.071 in).[11]
fedelini
between 1.37 and 1.47 millimetres (0.054–0.058 in).[12]
capellini or capelli d'angelo
(lit. 'little hair' or lit. 'angel's hair') between 0.8 and 0.9 millimetres (0.031–0.035 in).[13][14]

In the United States, the National Pasta Association (which has no links with its Italian counterpart, the Unione Industriali Pastai Italiani[15]) lists vermicelli as a thinner type of spaghetti.[16]

The Code of Federal Regulations of the United States of America[17] defines spaghetti and vermicelli by diameter:

vermicelli
less than 0.06 inches (1.5 mm).
spaghetti
between 0.06 and 0.11 inches (1.5–2.8 mm).

Etymology

Look up vermicelli in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

The word vermicelli in English is derived from the Italian vermicello, which is the diminutive of "worm", ultimately from the Latin vermis.[18] According to The Oxford Companion to Food, the term has been in use since the late Middle Ages.[19]: 599 

History

Vermicelli-like pasta have likely existed since at least the 13th century in Al-Andalus and North Africa.[20][19] Arabic texts from Morocco mention Jews in Fez specializing in the trade of fidaws and itriyya, which were types of vermicelli or "at least string-like" pasta.[20]

In 14th-century Italy, long pasta shapes had varying local names. Barnabas de Reatinis of Reggio notes in his Compendium de naturis et proprietatibus alimentorum (1338) that the Tuscan vermicelli are called orati in Bologna, minutelli in Venice, fermentini in Reggio, and pancardelle in Mantua.[21]

The first mention of a vermicelli recipe is in the book De arte Coquinaria per vermicelli e maccaroni siciliani (The Art of Cooking Sicilian Macaroni and Vermicelli), compiled by Martino da Como, unequalled in his field at the time and perhaps the first celebrity chef, who was the chef at the Roman palazzo of the papal chamberlain (camerlengo), the Patriarch of Aquileia. In Martino's Libro de arte coquinaria, there are several recipes for vermicelli, which can last two or three years (doi o tre anni) when dried in the sun.[22]

Regional varieties

Arab world

In the Arab world, vermicelli is known as sha'riyya or sha'iriyya (Arabic: شعيرية), and its toasted in butter and added to rice, often for use in pilafs.[19]

Indian subcontinent

Main article: Pheni

In the Indian subcontinent, pheni vermicelli is served with milk during the fasting traditions like preparing sargi thali for Karva Chauth or suhur for Ramadan.

See also

References

  1. ^ "vermicelli". The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed.). HarperCollins. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  2. ^ "Vermicelli". Collins English Dictionary. HarperCollins. Archived from the original on 23 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  3. ^ "vermicelli". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. OCLC 1032680871. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  4. ^ "vermicelli". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020.
  5. ^ Dictionary.Com. "Vermicelli". Random House Diciontary. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  6. ^ "Vermicelli Voiello". Voiello (in Italian). Archived from the original on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  7. ^ "Vermicelli n° 170". Pasta De Cecco (in Italian). Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Vermicelli Barilla". Archived from the original on 25 April 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
  9. ^ "Vermicelli DeCecco". Archived from the original on 27 August 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
  10. ^ "Spaghetti". Archived from the original on 8 July 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
  11. ^ "Vermicellini DeCecco". Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
  12. ^ "Fedelini DeCecco USA". Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
  13. ^ "Capellini DeCecco USA". Archived from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
  14. ^ "De Cecco - Nests - Angel hair 209". Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
  15. ^ "UNIPI - Unione Nazionale Industriali Pastai Italiani" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  16. ^ "Pasta shapes". Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  17. ^ 21 CFR 139.110
  18. ^ "Definition of VERMICELLI". Merriam Webster. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  19. ^ a b c Davidson, Alan (2014). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press. p. 734. ISBN 978-0-19-967733-7. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  20. ^ a b Serventi, Silvano; Sabban, Françoise [in French] (6 November 2002). Pasta: The Story of a Universal Food. Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-51944-1. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  21. ^ Ortolani, Cristina (2006). L'Italia della pasta (in Italian). Touring. ISBN 978-88-365-2933-9.
  22. ^ "Libro de Arte Coquinaria Composto per lo Egregio Maestro Martino Coquo Olim del Reverendissimo Monsignor Camorlengo et Patriarcha de Aquileia" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 28 January 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
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