Tagliolini No 106 are part of the family of long pasta, wound into skeins made from thin rustic sheets of pasta.
The origin of this pasta is contested between Genoa, Naples and the Ciociaria area (central Italy).
It dates back to as early as the 17th century as shown by the "Bando contra Vermicellari" (Announcement to the Vermicellari district) issued in October 1602 in which the latter was ordered to adhere strictly to the price caps for the price of certain types of pasta including "Tagliolini bianchi". Stiff fines were imposed on anyone who disobeyed this order. Girolamo Aleandri in "La difesa dell'Adone" (the Defence of Adonis - Venice 1630) refers to Tagliolini in a description of everyday life at court: "During gentlemen's recreation in the house of the Marquis of Pepoli, one said to the other as a joke that he must have been drunk on tagliatelli, that soup made with fine pasta strips, which in many places in Lombardy are called lasagnette, and in Rome (if I am not mistaken) tagliolini". A closer look at the more recent history of rural traditions in Abruzzo reveals that tagliolini were served in chicken or pigeon broth to nursing mothers because they were light, but also very nutritious.
The size of tagliolini makes them perfect for vegetable or meat-based broths. Their natural versatility makes them especially tasty in pasta dishes with light sauces made from tomatoes, butter or soft cheeses. In the Naples area, they are the main ingredient in traditional pasta pies and oven-baked pasta dishes.
Available in 250g packs
Maccheroni alla Chitarra are a typical regional speciality from Abruzzo with an original long shape with a square cross section.
Historically, the pasta was cut with a special tool called a "chitarra" (guitar), consisting of a wooden frame over which thin, steel wires were stretched. The pasta, which was not excessively thin (about the thickness between one wire and another) was placed on the wires and then cut by pressing on it with a special little rolling pin.
This type of pasta is typically eaten with lamb ragù. In certain areas of Abruzzo, the traditional condiment for Maccheroni alla Chitarra is a tomato sauce enriched with veal meatballs measuring about one centimetre across, known as "pallottelle".
Maccheroni alla Chitarra are also excellent with different types of meat gravy, with sauces made from tomatoes and aubergines, or fish.
Available in 500g pack.s