Tagliolini

Tagliolini is a pasta that is somewhat thicker than spaghetti, cut into long strips about ⅛ inch (3 mm) wide.

Traditional in the Liguria region of Italy, it is usually made as a fresh pasta with egg in the dough.

Tagliolini is very similar to tagliatelle, which is also made in long strands, except that the strands of Tagliolini are sometimes cylindrical, rather than flat, as tagliatelle’s are.

The sauces used with Tagliolini are usually smooth, creamy and relatively thin.

In Rome, the pasta has become popular served as a dish called “tagliolini cacio e pepe.” “Cacio” is pecorino cheese, specifically “pecorino romano”; “pepe” is “pepper”, specifically, black pepper.

To make it, the romano cheese is finely grated, then mixed in a bowl with the pepper and a ladleful of the cooking water from the pasta to make a sauce. This sauce is then stirred into the drained, cooked Tagliolini, which is then garnished with some more grated pecorino, then served.

The pecorino must be freshly grated for the rapid melting to happen.

Cooking Tips

Cook fresh Tagliolini about 1 minute; dried, 2 to 3 minutes.

Substitutes

Tagliatelle, taglierini, linguine.

Language Notes

The world “Tagliolini” (meaning “small cut ones”) comes from the Italian verb, “tagliare”, which means “to cut.”

Aka Tagliarini, Taglierini.