Dining in Monterubbiano: the ritual of Tagliatelle Fritte

I was born and raised in Monterubbiano, a small hilltop village in the province of Fermo, where the Sibillini Mountains on one side and the Adriatic coast on the other create one of those views that stay with you forever. This is where I learned to cook, surrounded by the aromas of a true Marche kitchen — built on handed-down gestures and simple ingredients that taste of the land. Since retiring, I finally have the time to devote myself to this passion wholeheartedly — and I've chosen to do so by sharing a story that is close to my heart. Monterubbiano has a speciality all its own: fried tagliatelle. A dish with a recent but fascinating history, born in 1973 in the village's main restaurant, when Alessandra — known to everyone as "Santina" — invented it for her son's wedding. From that day on, they have never stopped making everyone who tries them happy.