Noodle

A noodle is a thin strip of unleavened dough that has been rolled, dried and cooked in boiling water. The term often refers to moist, cooked noodles, since it has connotations of curviness and slipperiness, but also applies to dried noodles that must be reconstituted by boiling or by soaking in water. The word noodle derives from Latin nodus (knot), via German Nudel (noodle, pasta). A noodle includes all varieties from all origins, whereas pasta refers specifically to Italian style noodle products such as spaghetti, penne, fettuccine, or linguine.

The Chinese, Arabs and Italians all claimed to have been the first to create this string-like food, though the first written account of noodles is from the East Han Dynasty between AD 25 and 220. In October 2005, the oldest noodles yet discovered were found at the Lajia site (Qijia culture) along the Yellow River in Qinghai, China. The 4,000-year-old noodles appear to have been made from foxtail millet and broomcorn millet.