What is Salad Macaroni?

I have a recipe that calls for salad macaroni.

What is Salad Macaroni? I've never heard of it!

Thanks for your time.

Answer:

Good question! Macaroni, in the US at least, is a general term used to mean tiny pasta shapes (which would be 'ditali' in Italy).

My first thinking was that any macaroni/tiny shapes would work well in pasta salad or whatever the dish you're planning. If it asks for salad macaroni, the truth is that any type of macaroni you choose should work out fine.

To be more specific though, there does appear to be at least one type of macaroni that is called exactly 'salad macaroni'. The one I've found is sold under the Atlas brand and the shapes are effectively mini pasta tubes ('tubali' I think in Italian), without an 'elbow macaroni' bend in the middle. Click here, then click the pasta link to see a picture of the packet I mean (updated: I've added the picture above).

Hope that's helpful!

Matt.