Acini di pepe

Acini di pepe is a type of pasta. Acini is the plural of acino whose root is the Latin word acinus. In both Latin and Italian, the word means 'grape' or 'grape-stones', with the "stones of a grape" being the seeds of the grape. Acini di pepe then translates into 'seeds of a pepper'. It was and is known as a symbol of fertility, which is why it is used in Italian wedding soup. It is also sometimes referred to as pastina ; however, some pasta makers distinguish pastina as smaller than acini di pepe. The individual pieces usually resemble tiny cylinders about 1mm, or less, in each dimension.