Agnolotti

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌanjəˈlɒtɪ/

Definitions

1. A unique Italian pasta form featuring miniature dumplings filled with various ingredients such as meat or vegetables
2. This dish consists of small, often delicate pasta parcels that encase a savory filling, commonly served in sauces
3. A particular type of Italian stuffed pasta characterized by small, half-moon shapes filled with various ingredients like meats or cheeses and typically served with sauce

Etymology: Agnolotti is the plural of "agnolotto," the Italian word for a small stuffed pasta, and English borrowed the plural form directly, so the singular is rarely used in English. The base word belongs to the Piedmontese and Lombard cooking traditions of northern Italy, where these pinched, filled pasta parcels are a regional specialty. The word's older form was "agnellotti," which points to a link with "agnello," the Italian for "lamb," although the exact connection between the lamb and the filled pasta is not settled. Because the name is a plural noun ending in "-i," English speakers often treat "agnolotti" as a singular word and sometimes add an "-s" to form a plural, which Italian speakers would regard as a mistake.