Ziti Explained

Ziti
Alternate Name:Boccolotti, zitoni, zituane, candele, ziti candelati
Country:Italy
Region:
Type:Pasta
Main Ingredient:Durum wheat flour, water
Variations:Bucatini

Ziti (pronounced as /it/) or zite (pronounced as /it/) are a shape of extruded pasta originating from the Italian regions of Campania and Sicily. They are shaped into long, wide tubes, about 25cm (10inches) long, that need to be broken by hand into smaller pieces before cooking. Ziti have similarities to bucatini, but are much thicker.

Etymology

Sicilian: Ziti| is the plural form of Sicilian: zita and Sicilian: zitu, respectively meaning 'bride' and 'groom' in Sicilian. For this reason, ziti may also be rendered as Italian: zite in Italian (with the regular plural form for feminine nouns in -a).[1]

In the crime-drama series The Sopranos, the phrase box of ziti is used as a euphemism for one thousand dollars. This term has spread to become colloquial in New York.[2] [3] [4] The term was used in Albany by Andrew Cuomo during the sentencing of Percoco v. United States in February 2018.[5] [6]

Composition and usage

Ziti strands are made of long and wide tubes, each being around 25cm (10inches). Ziti has similarities to bucatini, rigatoni and penne.[7] [8] Ziti are created from durum wheat flour and water.[9]

They are also used to make Italian: [[pasta alla Norma]].[10]

In Sicily, they are traditionally served at a wedding feast.

There’s also zitoni, or zitone, which are a thicker cut than ziti, being in-between ziti and rigatoni.[11] [12]

Baked ziti

Baked ziti is a casserole with ziti pasta and a Neapolitan-style tomato sauce. It is characteristic of Italian-American cuisine.[13] [14] It is a form of Italian: [[pasta al forno]].

Typically, the pasta is first boiled separately until it is nearly, but not completely, done. The almost-cooked pasta is added to a tomato-based sauce. The tomato-coated pasta is then combined with cheese, typically a mixture of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Other ingredients can be added with the cheese, such as ground meat, sausage, mushrooms, peppers, and onions. The combined ingredients are placed in a baking dish, covered with mozzarella cheese, baked in the oven and served hot.[15] If unavailable, ziti can be substituted with other tubular pastas such as penne or rigatoni.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Oretta Zanini . Encyclopedia of Pasta . University of California Press . 2009 . 978-0-520-94471-8 . 315–316 . registration.
  2. News: McKinley . Jesse . Wang . Vivian . 2018-02-27 . 'This Is How Criminals Talk': Closing Arguments Focus on Ziti . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-06-27 . 0362-4331.
  3. News: James . Caryn . 2000-01-14 . TV WEEKEND; The Ziti's in the Oven and the Matriarch's Still Not Dead . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-06-27 . 0362-4331.
  4. Wynn . Neil A. . 2004 . Barreca . Regina . Bishop . David . Chase . David . Gabbard . Glen O. . Rucker . Allen . Simon . David R. . Lavery . David . Counselling the Mafia: "The Sopranos" . Journal of American Studies . 38 . 1 . 127–132 . 10.1017/S0021875804007947 . 27557467 . 0021-8758.
  5. News: Wolfe . Jonathan . 2018-02-06 . New York Today: Hold the Ziti . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-06-27 . 0362-4331.
  6. News: Jesse Mckinley . Benjamin Weiser . 2018-02-07 . In Albany, Percoco Secretly Strained to Keep the 'Ziti' Flowing . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-06-27 . 0362-4331.
  7. Bretagnolle . Anne . 2002-05-22 . Le Bras H., 2000, Essai de géométrie sociale, Paris, Editions Odile Jacob. . Cybergeo: European Journal of Geography . fr . 10.4000/cybergeo.869 . 1278-3366. free .
  8. Web site: 3 August 2017 . Ziti and Zitoni Pasta .
  9. News: Fabricant . Florence . 2003-01-15 . FOOD STUFF; From Abalone To Ziti, The Language Of Food . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-07-01 . 0362-4331.
  10. Book: Rosso . Julee . The new basics cookbook . Lukins . Sheila . 1989 . New York : Workman Pub. . Internet Archive . 978-0-89480-341-3.
  11. Book: Sinclair, Charles . Dictionary of Food: International Food and Cooking Terms from A to Z . 2009-01-01 . A&C Black . 978-1-4081-0218-3 . en.
  12. Web site: FoodData Central . 2023-11-11 . fdc.nal.usda.gov.
  13. Book: Oseland , James . James Oseland

    . Saveur: The New Comfort Food - Home Cooking from Around the World. James Oseland. 2011-04-20. Chronicle Books. 978-0811878012.

  14. Book: Lidia's Italy in America. Lidia Matticchio Bastianich. Lidia Bastianich. Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. 2011-10-25. 978-0307595676.
  15. Web site: Baked Ziti Recipe . 2023-06-27 . NYT Cooking . en-US.