Tagliatelle

This is the logical choice to start any discussion on cutting pasta. It is the basic pasta of the Bolognese kitchen. They are easy to produce. If you are cutting them by hand, make a flat, tight roll of the sfoglia about 2½ inches wide. Take a sharp knife and cut across the length of the roll, making cuts every ¼ inch. Lift each strip to let the noodles unfold. Let them dry for a few minutes before tossing them into boiling water. If you are using a manual pasta machine, slide each sheet of dough through the wide cutters, cranking the noodles out with the other hand. Separate them and let them briefly dry.