Tagliatelle pasta

Allow about 75 g dried tagliatelle per person for a main course. Weigh it before cooking, as the ribbons swell in the pan.

Dried tagliatelle commonly takes around 8–10 minutes, while fresh usually takes 2–4 minutes. Follow the packet guidance and taste a ribbon a minute before the end; it should be tender with a little bite.

Add the ribbons to a large pan of rapidly boiling water, then stir straight away and again as they cook. Drain as soon as they’re ready, and toss with the sauce rather than rinsing them.

Its wide ribbons work particularly well with a thick ragù, including a Bolognese-style meat sauce. Mushroom sauce or a creamy sauce with smoked salmon are also popular choices in the UK.

Yes. Fettuccine is a close substitute: it’s also a flat ribbon pasta and works with the same ragù and creamy sauces. Use the cooking time on its packet, as it may differ.

Cool leftovers and put them in the fridge within two hours, in a covered container. Eat within 48 hours, and reheat only once until steaming hot throughout.

Some tagliatelle is made with egg and some with just wheat and water; fresh versions often contain egg, while many dried ones do not. Check the ingredients for egg and wheat, which contains gluten.