Tagliatelle: the beloved egg pasta from Bologna worldwide.

Tagliatelle: just saying the name gives you a thrill that runs down your spine, doesn’t it? This is because the name represents tradition. tagliatelle are so deeply rooted in our daily life that they are synonymous with home. In Spain, "home" is called "hogar", a word that also means "hearth", it is extremely descriptive and communicates the warmth it represents by itself. But why am I talking to you about the hogar? Because tagliatelle is one of those products that are akin to home, to the warmth of tradition, of family, to the simplicity of a plate of pasta with sauce, and to the happiness it conveys. In short, it is one of those foods that are not just food but are enclosed within the spectrum of this famous hogar, those things that warm you because they remind you of home.

Tagliatelle is a type of egg pasta typical of Bolognese cuisine, loved and enjoyed throughout Italy. They are made with a few, but exceptional ingredients! They are delicious when paired with tasty meat sauces, but also with fish or vegetable sauces. The classic tagliatelle is the one with ragù, but today there are many tasty variations for all palates.
But how did tagliatelle come to be?

Tagliatelle: the origins of a tradition

There is a story behind the birth of tagliatelle, according to which it was the hair of Lucrezia Borgia that inspired the creation of this type of pasta.
Lucrezia Borgia was the daughter of Pope Alexander VI and the sister of the warrior Cesare Borgia. She was much talked about for her beauty, but also for her long braided blonde hair, in which she used to weave pearls, gems, or flowers.
On the occasion of her third marriage, to Duke Alfonso I d'Este, Lucrezia in 1502 traveled across the peninsula from Rome to Ferrara.

In Bologna, the lord of the time Giovanni II Bentivoglio asked his personal chef, Mastro Zefirano, to organize a majestic dinner in honor of Lucrezia Borgia, who would stop in Bologna during her wedding trip.
At this memorable banquet, the chef presented a new type of pasta, blonde and braided just like Lucrezia's hair, obtained by cutting traditional lasagna and giving it the shape of long golden strips.
We also have the recipe for tagliatelle written by Bartolomeo Scappi, the papal chef who lived in the 1500s, author of the most famous recipe book of the 16th century. Here it is:
"<em>Mix 2 pounds of flour with three eggs and warm water and mix well on a table for the duration of a quarter of an hour and then roll it out thinly with a rolling pin, and let the dough dry a bit and cut off the too thick edges with a spur... and when everything is dry but not too much otherwise it would crack, sprinkle with flour and cut it into strips with a wide thin knife... When dry, make soups with rich meat broth, or with milk and butter, and serve hot with cheese, sugar, and cinnamon</em>".

And it is here that tagliatelle becomes a type of pasta of Bolognese origin and then of Italian tradition.

The recipe for tagliatelle

The recipe for making tagliatelle is simple because the historical main ingredient is one: the egg.
To prepare tagliatelle for 4 people, just make a fountain with 300 grams of flour and place 3 eggs in the center, one at a time. Add a pinch of salt.
After beating the eggs with a fork, proceed by mixing in the flour, and knead with your hands for about 10 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and elastic. Then form a ball, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
After this time, take the dough, divide it into 4 parts and one at a time roll it out with a rolling pin and pass it several times through a pasta machine. When it is thin, dust it with semolina or flour and let it dry for 5 minutes. Then fold the dough into a roll, gently flatten it with your hands, and cut it with a knife into slices slightly less than a centimeter wide.
Finally, gently separate the obtained strips by taking them from both ends and rolling them in the palm of your hand to form a nest.
Now they are ready to be cooked!

Today there are variants where, instead of 00 flour, for example, whole grain, chickpea, and chestnut flours are used. There is also a variant that, in addition to flour, has a bit of cocoa!
Tagliatelle without eggs, made only with water and flour, is a lighter recipe and suitable for those who are intolerant to eggs.

And finally, here is a roundup of ideas for seasoning tagliatelle in addition to the typical Bolognese ragù: truffle, porcini mushrooms, pumpkin and bacon, radicchio and speck, fish ragù, sauce with meatballs and parsley, lamb ragù, walnut sauce.
Are you hungry? I definitely am.

Tagliatelle are home

A quick, foolproof, and brilliant system, a burst of energy like a vitamin.. eaten hot with ragù, they'll keep you full for six days and even longer!
And just like those of Grandma Pina, tagliatelle are tradition at the table, a recipe that is quite simple but rich in flavor and homemade taste. A true delight for the palate, that not only fills your belly but also warmes your heart!