Vermicelli

Vermicelli (Template:IPAc-en, Template:IPAc-en; , literally "little worms"), is a traditional type of pasta round in section similar to spaghetti. In English-speaking regions it is usually thinner than spaghetti, while in Italy it is thicker. It is typically made with semolina.

Thickness comparison

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

vermicelli

between Template:Convert, with little variation between different producers.

spaghetti

between Template:Convert.

(Template:Lit) between Template:Convert.

between Template:Convert.

capellini or

(Template:Lit or Template:Gloss) between Template:Convert.

In the United States, the National Pasta Association (which has no links with its Italian counterpart, the ) lists vermicelli as a thinner type of spaghetti.

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

vermicelli

less than Template:Convert.

spaghetti

between Template:Convert.

History

File:Vermicelli with a lemon-pecorino fonduta with fennel fronds and bottarga.jpg

Vermicelli with a lemon-pecorino fonduta with fennel fronds and bottarga

In 14th-century Italy, long pasta shapes had varying local names. Barnabas de Reatinis of Reggio notes in his (1338) that the Tuscan vermicelli are called in Bologna, in Venice, in Reggio, and in Mantua.

The first mention of a vermicelli recipe is in the book (The Art of Cooking Sicilian Macaroni and Vermicelli), compiled by the famous Maestro 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 (), the Patriarch of Aquileia. In Martino's , there are several recipes for vermicelli, which can last two or three years () when dried in the sun.

Vermicelli in other countries

Middle East and East Africa

Vermicelli, called Template:Transliteration () in Arabic, is used in one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Egypt and the Levant. The vermicelli is browned by frying it with oil or butter, then rice and water are added.

In Somalia, it is used in a sweet dish called Template:Transliteration, originating from the Yemeni Template:Transliteration (). The vermicelli is browned by frying it with butter, then water, sugar, and cardamom are added until it has softened slightly. The dish is similar to the Indian sheer khurma; however, no milk or cream is added. Bananas can also be added on top. It is usually eaten as a dessert or as a side-dish with Somali spiced rice dishes.

Template:Transliteration is also a common dessert in certain parts of Ethiopia, particularly in the Arab-influenced Harar-ghe region, where it is known as Template:Transliteration and is served cold, often with a thin layer of custard on top.

Iberia

File:Aletria.jpg

An pudding with typical cinnamon decoration

Possibly due to the Umayyad influence, Spain and Portugal use a type of vermicelli called . It is mostly used for soups or desserts. In modern-day Portugal, usually refers to a dessert similar to a rice pudding, but replacing the rice with .

The Americas

File:Q & Q vermicelli (fideo) from O.B. Macaroni Company 001.jpg

Vermicelli ()

The is a type of noodle, produced in Europe since medieval times, best known as or fidelis, which spread to Mexican and Latin American cuisine, and is often referred to by speakers of English as "vermicelli". A short noodle, typically a few centimeters in length at most, it is commonly used in chicken soup and in , a type of side dish.

South Asia

File:Vermicelli or Sewai.jpg

A bowl of shemai, a popular dessert in South Asia

File:Vegetable and Vermicelli from India.jpg

Salted vegetable vermicelli in North India

In countries of the South Asia, vermicelli is available either as long strands or cut into about Template:Convert pieces. Vermicelli is known by various local names such as: Template:Transliteration in Sindhi; Template:Transliteration ( or ) in Telugu; Template:Transliteration when made with wheat, and Template:Transliteration when made with rice in Tamil; Template:Transliteration in Malayalam; Template:Transliteration in Kannada; Template:Transliteration in Assamese; Template:Transliteration in Bengali; Template:Transliteration in Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi; Template:Transliteration in Marathi; Template:Transliteration in Odia; Template:Transliteration in Gujarati; and Template:Transliteration in Tulu. The noodles are used in a number of dishes, including a variation of Template:Transliteration, called sevaya or seviyan, a sweet dessert similar to rice pudding. Vermicelli is also used in many parts of India to make a popular dish called Template:Transliteration. To prepare it, dry oil-roasted vermicelli and pre-sauteed vegetables such as onions, carrots, French beans, peas, etc. are cooked together with enough water that can be absorbed by the vermicelli. Roasted cashews or peanuts are used as garnish. In Bangladesh, vermicelli is generally cooked with milk and consumed as a sweet dessert.

Other noodles called "vermicelli"

In English, the Italian loanword is used to indicate different sorts of long pasta shapes from different parts of the world, but mostly from South or East Asia.

Central Asian Template:Transliteration and Persian Template:Transliteration also resemble vermicelli. Template:Transliteration or Template:Transliteration is a Persian frozen dessert made with thin vermicelli noodles frozen with corn starch, rose water, lime juice, and often ground pistachios.

In East and Southeast Asia, the term vermicelli is used to translate four different types of noodles. Rice vermicelli can refer to a thin dried type of rice noodle (Template:Lang-zh; Hokkien: Template:Transliteration; Template:Langx; Template:Langx). A second type of vermicelli is made from rice that has been fermented (Template:Lang-zh; Template:Langx; Vietnamese: Template:Transliteration). The latter are normally eaten fresh, rather than after drying. Thirdly, vermicelli sometimes indicates cellophane noodles made from mung bean or sweet potato flour (Template:Lang-zh; Template:Langx). Cellophane noodles turn translucent after cooking, whereas rice vermicelli remain opaque. The fourth type of vermicelli are made from wheat rather than rice flour, misua (Template:Lang-zh).

See also

• List of pasta
• Rice vermicelli