paglia

Paglia is an Italian noun meaning straw, the dried stalks of cereal plants such as wheat, barley, or oats. It refers to the material used for animal bedding, fodder, or thatching, and it also describes a pale tan color associated with straw.

In Italian cuisine, paglia appears in pasta terminology. Pasta alla paglia refers to very thin strands of pasta that resemble straw. The dish paglia e fieno, or “straw and hay,” combines two colors or types of pasta to evoke straw and hay, typically using pale paglia and green fieno (spinach) pasta, usually served with light sauces.

Geography and names: The term Paglia is used in geographic names, including the Fiume Paglia (Paglia River), a river in central Italy. It is one of several features bearing the name Paglia.

Other uses: Paglia also occurs as a surname and in various place names in Italy. As a common noun, it remains closely tied to its agricultural origin and to color descriptors in Italian.