Tagliatelle is an egg pasta format with an ancient history rooted in Emilia-Romagna. They are so widespread in our daily lives that we can consider them synonymous with home, traditional warmth, family, simplicity and taste. Over the years they have become more and more a famous dish throughout Italy to the point of being known all over the world.
We suggest you the recipe for Cesarina Ewa's two-coloured tagliatelle from Syracuse, and if you need a refresher on how to make fresh egg pasta, you can read this article Fresh egg pasta recipe (‘sfoglia’) | Cesarine. You will make a flawless puff pastry.
Region you go, tagliatella you find!
In Emilia, especially in Bologna, the classic recipe calls for tagliatelle to be seasoned with Bolognese ragù and generously covered with Parmigiano Reggiano. In Romagna they can also be green, prepared with spinach added to the dough, or mixed, in the so-called straw and hay form. Different seasonings are also used, such as strigoli, peas, ragù and raw ham. In Tuscany and Umbria, the most common seasoning has the scent of the underwood, with mushrooms, truffles, wild boar or duck ragout.
What is the origin of tagliatelle?
Noodles are one of the most popular pasta shapes in the world and it is practically impossible to establish with certainty who created them, so much so that stories and legends have multiplied over time.
The most famous legend about their origin takes us back to the 15th century. Lucrezia Borgia was on her way to Ferrara where she was to marry Duke Alfonso I d'Este. During a stop in Bologna, she paid a visit to Giovanni II Bentivoglio. The latter then asked a famous Bolognese cook named Zerafino to prepare a special dish in her honour. Thus, inspired by the blond hair of his bride-to-be, Zerafino created tagliatelle.
The term ‘tagliatelle’, in reference to a pasta similar to today's, is found in the 16th century, in Ferrara itself, in a treatise of the ducal order at the Este court by Cristoforo di Messisbugo, published in 1549. This document mentions the recipe for ‘lasagnuolle, or pulled tagliatelle’, suggesting a common origin with lasagne.
What is the perfect measure of tagliatelle?
In 1972, the Bologna delegation of the Accademia Italiana della Cucina deposited the recipe and measurement of the real tagliatella of Bologna with the Bologna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Craftsmanship and Agriculture with a sample made of gold. The measurements of tagliatelle when cooked are 8 millimetres wide, equal to the 12,270th part of the Torre degli Asinelli, or about 7 mm when uncooked, while the thickness has not been precisely codified but must be between 6 and 8 tenths of a millimetre.
Cesarine's fresh pasta experiences!
Treat yourself to an unforgettable experience with our Cesarine! We have lots of fresh pasta cooking classes ready for you so you can learn the secrets of how to make a perfect pasta sheet!
