What is the Italian name for bow tie pasta?

The ASL fingerspelling provided here is most commonly used for proper names of people and places; it is also used in some languages for concepts for which no sign is available at that moment.

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In addition to plain and whole-wheat varieties, colours are added by mixing certain ingredients into the dough, which also affects the flavor (as with any pasta). For example, beetroot can be used for red, spinach for green and cuttlefish ink for black.. A tomato variety may also be available. Green, white, and red varieties are often sold together in a mix that recalls the colors of the flag of Italy.

Also known as butterfly, bow-tie or strichetti pasta, this cut is made in different sizes but all of them have edges like the cogs in a watch. This pasta is in the family of cuts inspired by nature (conch shells being another example). According to The-Pasta-Project.com “today’s farfalle was invented by housewives wanting to use up extra pasta dough left over from making filled cappelletti pasta. Apparently, once the filling ran out the women of the region used up the remaining dough by making farfalle. This habit became so popular that they would actually make extra dough so that there would be plenty leftover to make farfalle!”

 

WHERE IS FARFALLE MADE?

This pasta’s origin had nothing to do twith bow-ties!  It comes from the Italian word for farfalla which means “butterfly.” Invented in northern Italy near Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy.  It was the French toast of pasta cuts (used for left-over dough).

 

FRENCH ROYALLY PISS OFF ITALIANS WITH CARBONARA RE-BOOT!

Lest you think that Italians don’t take a comical shape like bow-tie pasta seriously, think again.  The French website démotivateur.fr posted a one pot carbonara pasta recipe.  It involved this cut being boiled in water with bacon and then having crème fraiche added.  Merde, as they say, got real!  Even large manufacturers like Barilla responded in outrage.  My favorite Italian comment was “you’ve already got the Mona Lisa, leave the carbonara alone.”

 

WHAT SAUCES GO WELL WITH FARFALLE?

Sauces heavy in cream or meat are very popular pairings.  Of course, Grana Padano and Parmesan Reggiano are the usual complementary dairy suspects here.  These short cuts are somewhat delicate, so if you’re using a thick or heavy sauce, use it in moderation.  If you’d like to see one of our recipes using farfalle check out marinara sauce recipe!

Farfalle (pronounced "far-FALL-ay") is a type of pasta that is also known as bow tie pasta or butterfly pasta for its signature shape. The word "farfalle" actually means "butterflies" in Italian. The pasta dates back to the 1500s, originating in Northern Italy in the Emilia-Romagna and Lombardia regions. Farfalle recipes often feature creamy sauces and it is the traditional pasta used in making the classic Eastern European dish kasha varnishkes. 

Fast Facts

Category: Shaped pasta

Meaning: Butterflies

Cook Time: 11 to 12 minutes

Main Ingredient: Semolina

Variants: Rigate, tricolore, farfalline (small), farfallone (large)

Substitutes: Fusilli, conchiglie, penne

What Is Farfalle?

Farfalle is an Italian, bow tie shaped small pasta with either straight or frilly edges. It is made from a dough of semolina flour, all-purpose flour, and eggs. The dough is rolled out thin and then cut into small rectangles that are about one and one-half by one inch. To get the pasta's signature ruffled edges, a pair of pinking shears is used instead of a knife. Each rectangle is then firmly pinched in the middle to form the butterfly or bow tie shape.

Farfalle is also sold dried and is available in boxes and bags from major pasta manufacturers (sometimes labeled as bow tie pasta). Farfalle is inexpensive, priced similarly to other common pasta shapes. It is used in traditional Italian hot preparations, such as when topped with creamy tomato sauce, cream sauce, or simple lemon-garlic sauce, with vegetables or meat added in. It is also popular in cold dishes, made into a pasta salad with vegetables like tomato, cucumber, olives, and/or cubed feta cheese or mozzarella. It is also tossed with cooked buckwheat and caramelized onions in the traditional Jewish dish kasha varnishkes.

How to Cook Farfalle

To cook farfalle, bring water to a boil in a large pot and add salt to taste. For dried pasta, add the farfalle, stir, and let the water return to a boil. Cook the pasta for 11 to 12 minutes; to achieve an al dente texture, boil for the shorter cooking time, tasting for desired doneness. To cook fresh pasta, boil for two to three minutes in salted water. Remove farfalle from the heat, drain, and toss with sauce. Serve immediately for hot dishes.

Varieties

The most commonly found type of farfalle is made with semolina and has a smooth surface with the ruffled edges. However, you may also come across farfalle rigate, which has grooves or ridges (which is what "rigate" means). Different colored farfalle is also available in red (made with beets or tomatoes), green (spinach), and black (cuttlefish or squid ink)—the ingredients add flavor as well as color. The combination of red, white, and green farfalle is called "tricolore" and is meant to represent the Italian flag. Farfalle is also made in different sizes—the miniature size is called farfalline while the larger variety is named farfallone. In America, commercially-made dried farfalle is often labeled as bow tie pasta.

Certain pasta brands also produce a gluten-free version using corn or brown rice, an organic version, a whole wheat version, and a "protein plus" version where the extra protein comes from lentils, chickpeas, and peas. Cook these varieties according to the package directions since the cook time can vary from standard farfalle.

What is the Italian name for bow tie pasta?
What is the Italian name for bow tie pasta?

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What is the Italian name for bow tie pasta?
What is the Italian name for bow tie pasta?

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What is the Italian name for bow tie pasta?
What is the Italian name for bow tie pasta?

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What is the Italian name for bow tie pasta?
What is the Italian name for bow tie pasta?

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Substitutes

The soft folds of the farfalle allow certain ingredients to nestle into the pasta, so if substituting another shape it needs to act similarly. The best replacements for farfalle are other shorter pasta shapes that have little "pockets." Fusilli (corkscrew-shaped pasta), conchiglie (small shells), and radiatori (which look like little radiators) are good substitutes for farfalle. A simple tubular pasta such as penne will work, as well as the s-shaped cavatappi.

Farfalle Recipes

This bow tie pasta shape takes nicely to a creamy mushroom sauce, fresh tomato sauce, or sauces featuring cheeses such as alfredo sauce. Farfalle's size makes it easy to eat hot or cold topped with roughly chopped ingredients like broccoli, sliced sausage, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and more. It also works well when dressed with pesto and tossed with green peas—serve hot like classic pasta or chilled as a pasta salad.

Why is it called bow tie pasta?

It’s the nickname given to this pasta since it’s fashioned like a bow tie in the United States! The term is derived from the Italian wordfarfalle, which means “farthing” (butterflies). Is it possible to freeze creamy pasta dishes?

What is the bowtie pasta from Disney?

Served with sautéed mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, and a light Italian cream sauce, the Bowtie Pasta (Farfalle pasta) from Disney Cruise Line is a favorite lunch meal that I now cook at home! Recipe for Bowtie Pasta that is similar to the original.

Why is it called butterfly pasta?

The name is the Italian for «butterflies» of course because of the shape, which reminds also a bow-tie. If there is a bronze wire-drawing dough, this ensures high-quality cooking which honors the typical Italian pasta. Best matches Farfalle well matches each kind of sauce, but they are perfect for a pesto recipe.

How to make Italian bow ties?

If you would like to make Italian bow ties, simply pinch the strips of the dough in the centre to form bow ties. The nature of these Italian fried pastries is that they are delicate, crisp and crumble as you bite into them. To succeed with this recipe, there are a couple of important points to remember. The dough should be soft but not sticky.

What is bow tie pasta called in Italian?

The word farfalle means butterflies in Italian and is commonly referred to as bow tie pasta because of its shape. To make farfalle, simply cut fresh pasta into small rectangles and pinch the centers together to form the unique shape.

What pasta is similar to bow tie pasta?

Short, bite-sized pastas such as shells, orecchiette, mini penne, or mezzi ("half") rigatoni all make excellent substitutes for farfalle or bowtie pasta.

Why is farfalle pasta also called bow tie?

This pasta comes in different sizes; small ones are called farfalline and larger ones farfallone. There is also a ridged version known as farfalle rigate. This shape also looks like a bow-tie and, in fact, this pasta is often called bow-tie pasta outside of Italy.

What is small bow tie pasta called?

Farfalline is a small, rounded version of the traditional bow tie or butterfly shaped pasta known as farfalle. This delicious small pasta can be used as the base of any dish.