Tagliatelle is the Italian pasta traditionally shaped as a long, flat ribbon and associated with Bologna.
The name comes from the Italian verb tagliare, meaning “to cut,” referring to the way pasta sheets are sliced into ribbons. Tagliatelle is usually made from wheat flour and eggs in the traditional fresh-pasta style. In Bologna, it is famously served with ragù alla bolognese.
A commonly repeated tradition says the pasta was created for Lucrezia d’Este’s wedding in 1487, but that story is generally treated as a later legend rather than secure historical evidence. The pasta’s connection with Emilia-Romagna is much better established.
Tagliatelle resembles fettuccine, but names and dimensions vary by region and maker. Pappardelle is typically wider, while linguine is narrower and has an oval or flattened profile.