Tagliatelle

The root of the words tagliatelle and tagliarini comes from the Italian verb tagliare, to cut. Tagliatelle are wider and are more suited to meat sauces; they also go well with cheese sauces, nut sauces, tomato sauces, and even pesto, although this last sauce is probably more suited to a thinner pasta. Tagliatelle are easy to produce, and probably should be the first pasta you make by hand if you are new at this.

To cut tagliatelle by hand, make a flat, tight roll of the sfoglia about 2½ inches (6.5 cm) wide. Take a sharp knife and cut across the length of the roll, making cuts every ¼ inch (65 mm). 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 before cooking.