Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 4, 2026

Busiate

Busiate or busiati are a type of long macaroni, originating in the province of Trapani and typical of the Calabria and Sicily regions of Italy. They take their name from busa, the Sicilian word for the stem of Ampelodesmos mauritanicus, a local grass, which is used in preparing them and giving them their helical shape. Busiate was officially included in the 2026 edition of the Italian dictionary Zingarelli.

Last revised
Jun 4, 2026
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Busiate
Alternative namesBusiati, subioti, fusarioi, maccheroni bobbesi, busa, ciuffolitti (Abruzzo), gnocchi del ferro1
TypePasta
Place of originItaly
Region or state
Main ingredientsDurum wheat, water
VariationsMaccheroni inferrati (or firrichedi)2

Busiate or busiati are a type of long macaroni, originating in the province of Trapani and typical of the Calabria and Sicily regions of Italy.2 They take their name from busa, the Sicilian word for the stem of Ampelodesmos mauritanicus, a local grass, which is used in preparing them and giving them their helical shape.34 Busiate was officially included in the 2026 edition of the Italian dictionary Zingarelli.56

The name busiate can be used to describe two different shapes, although the basic coiling technique is similar:

  • Busiate trapanesi are traditionally prepared by diagonally coiling a strand of pasta around a twig of ampelodesmos.7
  • Maccheroni inferrati are coiled vertically around a long pin, such as a knitting needle. Their shape is closer to that of bucatini.2

Busiate are traditionally served with pesto alla trapanese, a sauce made of almonds, tomatoes, garlic, and basil.1

Busiate served with pesto alla trapanese source ↗
See also

See also

Media related to Busiate at Wikimedia Commons

References

References

  1. Hildebrand, Caz (2011). Géométrie de la pasta. Kenedy, Jacob., Salsa, Patrice. Paris: Marabout. p. 40. ISBN 9782501072441. OCLC 762599005.
  2. Hildebrand, Caz (2011). Géométrie de la pasta. Kenedy, Jacob., Salsa, Patrice. Paris: Marabout. p. 160. ISBN 9782501072441. OCLC 762599005.
  3. "Busiate con pesto alla trapanese - Pasta e non solo". www.pastaenonsolo.it. Retrieved 2018-12-15.
  4. Sicily con Gusto (2015-05-17), CUCINA TIPICA SICILIANA - Busiate con pesto alla trapanese - TRADITIONAL SICILIAN COOKING, retrieved 2019-06-18.
  5. Longo, Marcello (2025-10-06). "La "busiata" tipica pasta trapanese, entra nel vocabolario Zingarelli". RaiNews (in Italian). Retrieved 2026-03-26.
  6. "«Busiata» entra nello Zingarelli 2026: la pasta siciliana conquista il dizionario". Cook Magazine (in Italian). 2025-10-01. Retrieved 2026-03-26.
  7. "Busiate". www.pastificiocampo.it. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-30.