The only reason Iberia elbow macaroni is called such is because it is a sort of pasta with an elbow shape. You'll be shocked to learn that macaroni was not even regarded as pasta in the early 1980s. It's dry pasta. The Italian term for elbows is Gomiti, or Chifferi, because of their twisted, tubular form, which can be smooth or ridged and come in different sizes. Originating in Northern and Central Italy, pasta elbows are typically used in soups there.