Linguine

Lore & Background

Linguine comes from the Latin word lingua, meaning 'tongue'. The modern language closest to Latin is Italian, and the Italian word linguine, plural of the feminine linguina, means 'little tongues'. A thinner version of linguine is called linguettine.

Linguine, a type of flattened spaghetti, was initially documented in the 1700s in Genoa, Italy, by Giulio Giacchero, an economist and writer. Giacchero, author of a book on the economy of Genoa in the 1700s, wrote about linguine served with green beans, potatoes, and a Genovese specialty—basil pesto. He claimed it was the typical festive dish of Ligurian families of the 1700s.

Liguria is the coastal region in far northwest Italy on the Ligurian Sea, dominated by the ancient port of Genoa. Basil pesto is a traditional dish there, and is typically served over linguine.

Reader's Guide

Linguine's significance lies in its role as a traditional pasta of Genoa and the Ligurian region, closely tied to the iconic sauce basil pesto. Documented in the 1700s by economist Giulio Giacchero, it was described as a festive dish for Ligurian families, typically served with green beans, potatoes, and pesto. Its elliptical shape, wider than spaghetti but narrower than fettuccine, provides a flat surface area that clings well to sauces, making it particularly suited for seafood dishes—a preference noted among Neapolitans.

The production of linguine involves mixing semolina or durum flour with water, rolling and cutting the dough into flat strands, a process historically done by hand. Today, dry linguine is cooked in salted boiling water for 8–10 minutes until al dente. In the United States, National Linguine Day is observed on 15 September annually, reflecting its cultural reach beyond Italy.