WHY ARE ZITI BROKEN? TRADITION, RECIPES AND CURIOSITIES

Ziti are a long durum wheat pasta, about 25 cm in length, similar to bucatini but with a larger diameter. There is no official date marking their origin, but they are considered the natural evolution of long, hollow pasta shapes that have existed in Italy since the Middle Ages.

But where does their name come from?

The word “zito” (or “zita” in its feminine form) is the southern Italian variant of the Tuscan word “citto/a”, meaning “boy” or “girl.” In southern dialects, the word took on additional meanings such as “bachelor”, “unmarried woman”, or “fiancé(e)”. From this comes the expression “maccheroni della zita”, a dish traditionally prepared by the bride herself for the wedding banquet, symbolizing the celebration of marriage and the beginning of married life. For this reason, ziti are deeply associated with festivity and conviviality, especially in Neapolitan culinary tradition.

Although they are a long pasta shape, ziti are never cooked whole. Southern Italian tradition calls for them to be broken by hand into three or four pieces. This simple gesture helps to ensure even cooking and makes them easier to assemble in baked dishes. According to popular tales, on Sunday mornings in the streets of Naples, one could hear the distinctive crack of ziti being broken by hand in home kitchens.

Today, several types of ziti can be found on the market, each with its own characteristics.

• Classic ziti: long and smooth, to be broken before cooking.
• Ridged ziti: with a grooved surface, perfect for holding thick, rich sauces.
• Zitoni: larger and sturdier, ideal for baked pasta dishes.
• Broken ziti: sold pre-cut for convenience.

Ziti feature in some of the most iconic dishes of southern Italian cuisine, particularly baked pasta dishes and timbales. The most famous version is undoubtedly ziti with Neapolitan ragù, a rich sauce made with large cuts of meat slowly simmered in tomato sauce.

Another great classic is ziti with Genovese ragù which, despite its name, is also a traditional Neapolitan dish. This ancient sauce dates to the 15th century, when Genoese cooks working in Naples prepared ziti with a meat-based sauce. In this recipe, onions play a central role, slowly cooked with the meat until they form a creamy, aromatic sauce.

Ziti lardiati, on the other hand, are a dish of rural origin. The undisputed star is lard, combined with onions, tomatoes and grated cheese. This is a rich and flavourful first course, born in humble kitchens where nothing was wasted.

With MyTrafile Pro line die n°64 for ziti and Pro line die n°65 for 10 mm ziti, fully compatible with the Philips Pasta Maker Avance without the need for an adapter, you can bring this tradition straight into your own kitchen. These pasta dies faithfully reproduce the shape and texture of the authentic ziti. You can cut the pasta to your preferred length and even break it by hand, just as generations of Italian home cooks have done before in the past. What are you waiting for? Discover our ziti dies and get ready to impress your guests with the magic of true Neapolitan tradition!