Elbow macaroni 1488452 194359501 2008-02-27T05:53:10Z Badagnani 308437 [[Image:Macaroni closeup.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Elbow macaroni]] {{Unreferenced|date=December 2007}}'''Elbow macaroni''' is a term for [[pasta]] in the shape of a small tube curved into a semicircular shape. (See also [[macaroni]].) Its name comes from the similarity of its shape to that of a bent elbow. Elbow macaroni is commonly used in [[macaroni and cheese]] and other dishes. <br clear="all"> {{double image stack|right|Elbow_macaroni_die_front.jpg|Elbow_macaroni_die_back.jpg|200|Elbow macaroni die, front and back views}} [[Image:Macaroni and cheese.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Elbow macaroni in a plate of macaroni and cheese]] Elbow macaroni is produced by [[Extrusion|extruding]] dough through a circular [[Die (manufacturing)|die]] with a pin or disk in the center that forms the tunnel. The [[geometry]] of the die forces more dough through one side of the circle than the other, forming the characteristic curve. The images show front and rear views of an elbow macaroni die which extrudes five pieces at once. In this die, more dough is directed to the outside of the circles than the inside, and the extruded macaroni curls inward. {{food-stub}} [[Category:Pasta]]