The official measure of tagliatelle!
If you have been reading our blog you must be aware that tagliatelle al ragù is one of Bologna’s most typical dish! But did you know that this kind of pasta had an official measure?
The Legend
Tagliatelle have been invented in 1487 by an Italian chef, Zefirano who once met Lucrezia Borgia, an Italian duchess. Her beauty and her long blond hair amazed him. So, he decided to reproduce her hair using some pasta pastry.
Tagliatelle are pasta made with eggs, a typical recipe from northern Italy. Its name comes from the verb “tagliare” which means “to cut”, because you obtain tagliatelle folding the pastry and cutting it in long pieces. Of course, tagliatelle are served with the typical Bolognese sauce: ragù, however, they can be 
combined with other condiments: mushrooms, ham, truffles, seafood, etc.
In 1972, the Confraternità del Tortellino and the Accademia Italiana della Cucina deposit the original recipe and measure of the tagliatelle. Real tagliatelle should measure 8 millimetres width, uncooked the pasta should measure 7 millimetres. The thickness of the pasta, however, was not specified… experts explain it should be around 6 to 8 millimetres. The original recipe stands that tagliatelle should only be combined with ragù bolognese.