Shaping Tagliatelle

The width is regulated. The Confraternita del Tortellino in Bologna officially declared tagliatelle to be 8 mm wide when cooked (about 7 mm raw). That precision is part of the romance.

What you need

• A rolled sheet of egg dough at 1 mm thickness (see Doughs Lesson 4)
• A sharp knife
• A floured surface
• A dusting of semola

The technique

1. Lightly flour the surface of your sheet so it does not stick to itself.
2. Starting from a short edge, roll the sheet loosely into a flat scroll — like a yoga mat, not a tight cigar.
3. With a sharp knife, slice the scroll into 8 mm ribbons.
4. Lift each slice, gently unfurl, and lay on a semola-dusted tray or drape over a wooden rack.

Why semola, not flour, on the tray

Semola is coarser. It dusts the noodles without absorbing into them. White flour clumps and gets gummy.

Common mistakes

• Rolling the scroll too tight: The slices stick into knots. Loose scroll, every time.
• Knife is not sharp: A dull blade tears the dough instead of cutting it. Sharpen first.
• Sheet not rested: Skip the post-rolling rest and your ribbons will shrink back into wobbly noodles.

The slow drying

Let the ribbons rest 20 minutes before cooking — they cook more evenly. If you are storing, dry fully on a rack for several hours, then store airtight for up to a week.

What goes with it

Tagliatelle was born for ragù alla Bolognese. Never spaghetti with bolognese — that is an Anglo invention. The wide, porous ribbon catches the chunky meat sauce in a way thin round strands physically cannot.