Tagliatelle

Tagliatelle are long, flat ribbons of pasta from Emilia-Romagna, classically rolled from egg dough. In Bologna their «golden measure» has been on deposit since 1972: a cooked tagliatella must be 8 mm wide. The Accademia Italiana della Cucina serves them alla bolognese, with a ragù simmered for about two hours. ⁵¹²

The golden measure. On 16 April 1972 Francesco Majani and Alcino Cesari, for the Accademia Italiana della Cucina, deposited the recipe and measure of the true Bologna tagliatella with the city's Chamber of Commerce. ¹⁴ It is about 7 mm wide when cut and 8 mm when cooked, said to be the 12,270th part of the height of the Asinelli tower, and its raw thickness stays under a millimetre. ¹² A gold sample in a casket is kept at Palazzo della Mercanzia. ²

Legend and tradition. Bologna's tradition says tagliatelle were invented in 1487 by the court cook Zefirano for the wedding of Annibale II Bentivoglio and Lucrezia d'Este. ¹ Italy's list of traditional foods records them in Emilia-Romagna under dialect names such as «tajadèli». ¹⁷ A chestnut-flour variant, dressed with pancetta and pecorino, was deposited in 2006. ¹

Tagliatelle alla bolognese. For 4, the Accademia uses 400 g of egg tagliatelle and a ragù of 300 g of minced beef, 150 g of pancetta, 50 g each of carrot, celery and onion, 400 g of peeled tomatoes, half a glass of red wine and a glass of whole milk, simmered for about two hours. ² The ribbons are drained as soon as they rise to the surface, dressed in a warm tureen, and Parmigiano Reggiano is served on the side. ²

The 2023 ragù. On 20 April 2023 the Accademia deposited a renewed recipe for ragù alla bolognese, replacing the 1982 text, which was written to «dress the tagliatella». ³⁴ It allows mixed beef and pork, knife-cut meat and a hint of nutmeg, but rules out veal, smoked pancetta, garlic, rosemary, other herbs and spices, brandy and flour. ³ The sauce cooks covered for 2 to 3 hours. ³

Dry tagliatelle. Italian egg pasta must contain at least four whole eggs, or 200 g of egg, per kilogram of semolina. ⁷ Rummo's egg tagliatelle n° 132 are 6 mm wide, 0.8 mm thick and cook in 3 minutes, like De Cecco's egg n° 104; De Cecco's semolina n° 203 take 5. ⁸⁶⁵ Divella's egg tagliatelle give 369 kcal and 14 g of protein per 100 g, its semolina ones 355 kcal and 12 g. ¹³¹⁴ Egg versions contain wheat and egg, both EU-labelled allergens. ¹⁸

Other dressings. De Cecco says tagliatelle suit every kind of sauce: baked dishes, fish and shellfish, butter, or white sauces of soft cheese and cream with curry or saffron. ⁵ Rummo makes a white ragù of rabbit with juniper and white wine, and sells «paglia e fieno», yellow and green tagliatelle with spinach in the dough, also from Emilian tradition. ¹²¹⁰

Tagliatelle vs fettuccine and pappardelle. In Rummo's semolina nests, tagliatelle are 6 mm wide, fettuccine 8 mm and pappardelle 15 mm, all 1.05 mm thick. ¹¹¹⁵¹⁹ Pappardelle, the widest, suit rich game or porcini ragù, while egg tagliolini are only 1.6 mm wide and go with delicate sauces or broth. ¹⁹⁹ Bologna's own tagliatella is 8 mm once cooked. ¹

Why it matters to you. For the real thing, roll thin egg dough, cut ribbons about 7 mm wide and dress them with a slowly cooked ragù without garlic or herbs. ¹²³ With dry pasta, read the pack: egg tagliatelle cook in 3 to 6 minutes, semolina ones in 5 to 6. ⁸¹³⁵ Check the label for wheat and egg. ¹⁸