Later, when the manufacture of these foods was
taken up in the United States, the flour for them had to be imported
from Italy; but it has since been discovered that flour made from the
variety of wheat called _durum_, which is grown in the spring-wheat
territory of this country, can be used for producing these pastes. In
fact, this kind of flour has proved to be so successful that it now
takes the place of what was formerly imported.
86. To produce the Italian pastes, the wheat, from which the bran has
been removed, is ground into flour. This flour is made into a stiff
dough, which is rolled into sheets and forced over rods, usually of
metal, or made into a mass and forced over rods, and allowed to dry in
the air. When sufficiently dry, the rods are removed, leaving slender
tubes, or sticks, that have holes through the center. Because of the
manufacturing processes involved in the production of these foods for
market, they are higher in price than some cereals, but their value lies
in the fact that they are practically imperishable and are easily
prepared and digested.
87. Italian pastes are of several varieties, chief among which are
_macaroni_, _spaghetti_, and _vermicelli_. Macaroni is the largest in
circumference; spaghetti, a trifle smaller; and vermicelli, very small
and without a hole through the center.
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