Hand-Cut Pappardelle

Pappardelle takes its name from the Tuscan verb pappare — to gobble up greedily. The shape exists to handle sauces that would slide off lesser noodles: wild boar, hare, porcini, short rib.

The dimensions

• Width: 2–3 cm
• Length: 25–30 cm
• Thickness: 1.5 mm (slightly thicker than tagliatelle — it needs the structure)

The technique

1. Roll an egg dough sheet to 1.5 mm thickness.
2. Lightly flour the surface.
3. Do not roll into a scroll like tagliatelle. The ribbons are too wide.
4. Instead, lay the sheet flat and cut directly with a knife or a fluted pastry wheel (for the prettier ruffled edge).
5. Cut long strips, 2.5 cm wide. Length is whatever your sheet gives you.

The ruffled edge

Use a fluted pastry wheel for traditional pappardelle. The wavy edge is iconic and traps more sauce. A straight knife works too — just slightly less elegant.

Drying and cooking

Lay strips flat on a semola-dusted tray, not touching. Cook 3–4 minutes in boiling salted water. Finish in the sauce for another minute.

Sauce pairings

• Cinghiale (wild boar ragù) — the classic Tuscan match
• Lepre (hare ragù) — slightly more refined, equally wintry
• Porcini, butter, parmigiano — the vegetarian crown
• Short rib ragù — modern, deeply meaty, perfect for the shape

Why a thinner sauce fails here

A light tomato pomodoro will slide right off pappardelle and pool on the plate. The shape demands a clinging, fatty, slow-braised sauce. Match the noodle to the weight of the sauce — always.