Tajarin (tie-ya-REEN), also referred to as tagliolini, is a classic pasta from Piedmont. It’s made with a higher proportion of egg yolks, resulting in tender, delicate, rich, yellow noodles. A traditional tajarin could have 30 to 40 egg yolks per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of flour. The dough is rolled thin and then cut into golden strips no more than 2mm wide.
I felt a twinge of guilt from using sooooo many egg yolks to make this pasta (wish I had room for some backyard chickens), but curiosity got the best of me. I used 8 egg yolks for 250 grams of 00 flour, plus 1 teaspoon olive oil. I found the dough a tad dry, so I added a little bit of egg white.
Perhaps not a pasta dough I’d make everyday given the cost, but once in a while, why not, it’s a treat. Besides it’s a traditional dish of this region and who am I to mess with tradition.
Typically, these golden noodles are served with a sauce of rosemary and farmyard (rabbit and/or chicken) giblets (i.e., livers, kidneys, heart, offal). I had chicken livers in the freezer, so I went with a chicken liver ragù with fresh sage and rosemary.
Will definitely make this chicken liver ragù again and again (inexpensive, earthy, rich and flavorful).
I kneaded the dough for a good 20 minutes…
Rolled out thin (setting 5 with my KitchenAid pasta attachment). Then, with a sharp knife, cut into roughly 2mm strips.
Tajarin with Chicken Liver Ragù
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 sage leaves, chopped
- leaves from 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 pound chicken livers, cleaned, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- salt and pepper
- freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, but not browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add a little water to the skillet if needed (this will stop the onions from browning).
- Add the chicken livers and white wine. Add the garlic, sage and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer a few minutes until the chicken livers are no longer pink.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss to combine.
- Drop the fresh pasta into the boiling water. Cook until al dente, about 2 minues. Add the pasta to the ragù and toss to combine. Add a little pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Divide amongst bowl. Grate some Parmesan on top of each bowl and serve. Enjoy!