The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

pasta \pas"ta\ (p[.a]"st[.a]; Brit. p[a^]s"t[.a]) n.
   Any of a variety of edible unleavened doughey preparations
   made from flour, eggs and water, originating in Italy, and
   shaped into various forms, such as solid strings (as
   spaghetti), hollow tubes, or layered squares (ravioli). They
   may be mixed with various sauces, often having a tomato base,
   or filled with meat or cheese fillings.

   Syn: Italian paste, paste.
        [WordNet 1.5]