Tagliatelle are the classic pasta of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. They are long, flat ribbons, similar in shape to fettuccine. They can be served with a variety of sauces, though the classic is a meat sauce.

History

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 taglialini di pasta e sugo, alla maniera de Zafiran (taglialini of pasta and sauce in the manner of Zafiran) and it was served on silver plates. Over the years, tagliatelle have acquired a much less sophisticated tradition, as tradition wills it to be eaten by simple folk.

Texture and Serving Suggestions

Since tagliatelle are generally made as fresh pasta , its texture is porous and rough, making it ideal for thick sauces such as ragú , generally made with beef, veal, or pork, and occasionally with rabbit.