It was in Castellina in Chianti, just north of Siena, in 1993, when I first ate Tagliatelle con Burro e Salvia. I remember the day quite vividly. At the time I was studying Italian at the Scuola di Dante Alighieri per Stranieri for a month and, as school attendance required me to be present only from 8 am to 1 pm, I had the rest of the day, as well as each Sunday, to roam around Siena and Tuscany, often taking the local bus to a small village, followed by a lunch and a stroll. It was on one of these jaunts that I ended up in Castellina in Chianti, and not long after hopping off the bus, I was drawn to a modest ristorante where a big pile of freshly made tagliatelle was laid out on display. I was in like a shot.
Although seemingly a very simple dish, fresh tagliatelle with butter and browned sage leaves does require some hours of preparation. There is no point making this dish with dried pasta or even shop purchased fresh pasta. This is where I get bossy. The pasta must be freshly made up to two hours before. This is why it tastes so good and comforting.
Making pasta at home is an easy process if you have a little time AND a helper. I never make pasta on my own, but when young Daisy Chef is around, what seems like a tedious business becomes a joy. We flour up the benches, get the aprons on and make a load of yellow snakes. She loves to crank that handle and feed the stretched pasta through the wide cutting blades.
Taglatelle con Burro e Salvia- Tagliatelle with Butter and Sage
First make the pasta.
- 300 g flour, preferably farina doppio zero, or ’00’ flour
- 3 large eggs ( around 60 g each)
Make the pasta dough either by hand or in a food processor. I simply place these two ingredients into the food processor and pulse until the dough clumps together. If it doesn’t, have another small beaten egg on hand and add it, bit by bit, until the pasta clumps. Don’t over process it.
Bring the dough together on a lightly floured bench and, without kneading, cover the dough ball in plastic for 20 minutes or so to rest. Unwrap the ball and knead the dough for around 5 minutes, turning and folding, until it is smooth. Wrap again in plastic and leave on the bench to rest for another 30 minutes or more, until you are ready to continue. In summer, this step may involve resting the dough in the fridge, but always bring it back to room temperature before rolling
Flour the bench well. Feed the dough through the pasta machine, twice at each number, from 7 to 5, then once on each number down to number 2. If the dough sheets get sticky along the way, dust them with more flour.
Feed the long sheets through the tagliatelle blade, then place them on a large flour covered tea towel and toss around so that the strands don’t stick together. Cover the pasta with another tea towel until ready to use.
- Boil up a large pot of water and add ample salt.
- Cook the pasta until al dente- two minutes is usually enough but this will depend on how long the pasta has been resting.
- Meanwhile, melt some unsalted butter in a wide frying pan and cook some sage leaves until crisp. Remove. Then add more butter to the pan to melt. Return the sage leaves. The butter is main sauce so be generous, around 40 g for two serves.
- Drain the tagliatelle and toss through the butter and sage in the pan. Add some freshly ground pepper or nutmeg. Serve with lots of freshly grated grana padano or reggiano parmigiano.
Daisy picks sage.
ALMOST ITALIAN 
I clicked the “Like” button because there was no “Love” one.. 🙂 Daisy Chef is concentrating hard! x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh thanks Celia. I love cooking with Daisy- she really is a little chef. She will eat anything, wild rocket turned bitter from the garden, fried sage leaves before they go on the pasta, anything at all. Before she made the pasta, she ate three large slices of that bread, but insists on only butter- no other things like vegemite or jam, as she wants to taste the bread. She is a darling girl.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Starting young in the kitchen…I love it, Francesca.
LikeLike
Thanks Loisajay, all kids love a bit of kitchen action, but this little one is always keen.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lovely post… I particularly loved seeing that top photo.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Liz, Siena is one of my special places.
LikeLike
I really should not read your posts this close to lunch time when I am at the office!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hahahha, someone has to go to work!
LikeLike
Extra special times when you cook beside your grandkids. You can be sure Daisy will always love good food, and be fussy about the quality of her pasta thanks to her you. I’m looking forward to spending time with my girls in the school hols, they’re flying up unaccompanied for the first time
LikeLike
I bet you miss them Sandra. They will enjoy playing in your new kitchen and seeing their little cousin too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope Daisy maintains that passion for cooking.
Burro e salvia, such a simple sauce, but so darn good!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think she will Yvonne. She walks into a room and her nose twitches when she smells stock. She loves herbs and most of all, she loves eating good food.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What beautiful memories you are creating together there Francesca. And doesn’t everything sound better in Italian?
LikeLike
How nice- what a lovely comment Lisa. Yes, everything sounds better in Italian, even simple things like butter and sage seem to roll along the tongue.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love your sous chef! I have serious sage envy, too. My last two attempts to grow it have not gone well. Sage and brown butter is a favourite. Will have to try making spelt pasta to see if I can eat pasta again. Lovely post.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Ardys. My sage grows like a weed. Just pulled out a monster bush. I stick in a cutting and six months later, it’s a triffid. Must be your weather. Mine loves the dry, doesn’t mind frost- a hardy beast. White spelt might be the go- they sell lots of spelt pasta at the Mediterranean in Brunswick.
LikeLike
Such a warm adorable post. Brings back lovely memories to me too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Memories- that’s what Italy does.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And always with the idea that pasta would be impossible to make at home! that’s a very cute helper you have there! Thank you for sharing the recipie ,it is definately one for trying 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
She is a sweet little helper.
LikeLiked by 1 person
absolutely super like this…and nothing beats fresh homemade pasta too:))
LikeLike
It is such comfort food.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Best thing I’ve read all day. Mouth watering, and such a joy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Wren.
LikeLike
So sweet!
LikeLike
On your little helper is such a honey! Given that I love butter, sage and fresh pasta this puts me in heaven. I’ll be right over 😉 hugs
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll save you a bowl. x
LikeLiked by 1 person
😉
LikeLike
What a studious little helper – lucky little girl and lucky Nanna to be sharing such memories – food memories. – kitchen memories and aromas – are quite powerful. She’ll carry those things with her always.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope she does remember Jan. Yes, she does look rather serious in these photos.After we made them, she hoovered down a bowl full.
LikeLike
Memories in the making…your little chef must love helping you. I have a friend that lives in Radda in Chianti and yes, that area serves some of the best pasta ever.
LikeLike
A lovely part of Tuscany, Radda , fond memories.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I must get my pasta machine fixed. I miss making pasta and ramen with it but I think it’s gone to the pasta gods as a sacrifice.
LikeLike
Francesca, your Daisy is gorgeous.
LikeLike