Tagliatelle alla Bolognese with Fresh Egg Pasta
Ribbons of silky fresh tagliatelle tossed through a slow cooked meat ragu, the way Bologna serves it, finished with Parmesan.
Made with Slow cooked ragu and Fresh egg pasta dough. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time35 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.81 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Take your ready made fresh pasta dough (see the base recipe) out of the fridge 20 minutes before rolling, so it is easy to work. Take your slow cooked ragu (see the base recipe) out of the fridge too.
20 min - 2
Dust the work surface with flour. Cut the dough into 4 pieces and roll each one very thin, until you can just see your hand through it. Dust lightly, fold loosely into a flat roll and slice into ribbons about 7 mm wide. Shake them out into loose nests.
- 3
Tip the ragu into a wide pan with 4 tbsp water. Warm over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until it is bubbling and steaming hot all the way through.
9 min - 4
Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the salt. Cook the tagliatelle for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender with a little bite. Keep a mug of the pasta water, then drain.
2 min 30 s - 5
Tip the pasta into the ragu with the butter and a splash of pasta water. Toss over the heat for 1 minute until every ribbon is glossy and coated.
- 6
Serve at once, scattered with Parmesan and black pepper.
Tips
- Always finish the pasta in the ragu pan with a splash of pasta water. The starch helps the sauce cling to the ribbons instead of sliding off.
- Fresh pasta cooks in minutes, so have the sauce ready and hot before the water boils. Taste a strand at 2 minutes.
- Use plenty of flour while cutting so the ribbons do not stick together, then shake the nests loose before cooking.
- Dried egg tagliatelle works if you are short on time. Cook it for the time on the packet.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten straight away. Cool leftovers within 90 minutes and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat once, in a covered pan with a splash of water, until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Why tagliatelle and not spaghetti?
In Bologna the ragu is traditionally served with fresh egg tagliatelle, because the flat, rough ribbons hold a thick meat sauce better than thin round spaghetti. Spaghetti works, but the sauce slides off more.
Can I use shop bought fresh pasta?
Yes. Use about 400 g of fresh tagliatelle from the chiller and cook it for the time on the pack, usually 2 to 3 minutes. Your homemade dough is better, but shop pasta is a good shortcut.
How much ragu per portion?
About 110 g per person gives a properly coated plate, so 450 g feeds four. Italians use less sauce than many British cooks, so the pasta is dressed, not swimming.
More made with slow cooked ragu
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.