Maltagliati

Maltagliati are irregular pieces of egg pasta, usually diamonds or triangles. They belong to egg pasta and are made at home as fresh pasta; dry versions are also sold.

The pieces are roughly 2–4 cm across and as thin as a rolled sheet of dough. The shape is deliberately uneven, and that is what sets maltagliati apart from the neat ribbons of tagliatelle or pappardelle.

The name means “badly cut”. Originally these were the offcuts left after cutting ribbons from a sheet: rather than throw them away, cooks added them to soups. The tradition is widespread in northern and central Italy, especially Emilia-Romagna, and almost every region has its own local names.

The dough is made from wheat flour and eggs, sometimes with some semolina. It is rolled into a thin sheet and cut on the diagonal with a knife, without aiming for identical pieces. Industrial maltagliati are cut by machine and dried.

Fresh maltagliati cook in 2–4 minutes, dry ones in about 5–8 minutes. In soups they are added near the end so they do not turn mushy.

The best-known dish is pasta e fagioli, pasta with beans; they also go into chickpea and lentil soups. Maltagliati are served with sauces too — mushrooms, vegetables, or butter and parmesan.

When buying dry maltagliati, check the egg content on the label: egg pasta has a warm yellow colour. Fresh pieces should be supple and dusted with flour so they do not stick.