Tagliatelle
Tagliatelle is the classic
pasta of the
Emilia-Romagna region of
Italy. Individually, they are long, flat ribbons, similar in shape to
fettuccine, but typically about .75
in / 2
cm wide. They can be served with a variety of
sauces, though the classic is a meat sauce or
Bolognese sauce.
Tagliatelle are an expression of the art of hand-made pasta, because the secret in achieving cooking perfection lies in the ability to roll the pasta evenly, without holes or cuts or difference in thickness.
Legend has it that during the
Italian Renaissance, in the year
1487, a talented court chef, inspired by Lucrezia D'Este's hairdo, on the occasion of her marriage to Annibale Bentivoglio, son of Giovanni II, Lord of
Bologna created tagliatelle. The recipe was of
tagliolini di pasta e sugo, alla maniera di Zafiran (tagliolini of pasta and sauce in the manner of Zafiran) and it was served on silver plates. Over the years, tagliatelle has acquired a much less sophisticated tradition, as tradition wills it to be eaten by simple folk.
Since tagliatelle are generally made as fresh pasta, the texture is porous and rough, making it ideal for thick sauces such as
ragù, generally made with beef, veal, or pork, and occasionally with rabbit, as well as several other less rich (and more vegetarian) options; such as
briciole e noci (with breadcrumbs and nuts),
uovo e formaggio (with eggs and cheese - a less rich
carbonara), or simply
pomodoro e basilico (with tomatoes and basil).
In
Lemony Snicket's
A Series of Unfortunate Events,
The Carnivorous Carnival Count Olaf's accomplice once threatened the Baudelaire orphans with a Tagliatelle Grande, or really big pasta noodle, that he meant to use as a whip.
