Fresh sheets smelling of fresh air or fabric softener (or both) with hospital corners are one of life’s great pleasures. As are fresh sheets of egg pasta – the sort that comes in squat boxes protected by clingfilm and found in the fridge section alongside ravioli. They are also one of the most useful and certainly the most multi-talented of all the pasta shapes.
That they are labelled lasagne is limiting; of course, they can be lasagne, but they could just as easily be numerous other shapes. The most easy-going of which is maltagliati, meaning badly cut, which tells you everything you need to know about the approach required as you cut them (using a knife, pizza wheel or pair of scissors) into uneven bits that are ideal in all sorts of soups, but especially those with beans. With slightly more precision, the sheets can be turned into 1cm-wide ribbons (short tagliatelle, if you like) for meat or vegetable ragu. Similar ribbons, made with a fluted pasta cutting wheel, can be mafalde, while thicker ribbons create a sort of ersatz pappardelle. All ribbons, though, can be cut into quadrucci (little squares) – another shape ideal for soup. Larger squares can be mandilli de sea (silk handkerchiefs), which are great dressed with pesto. If the pasta is fresh enough, rectangles can also be pinched into farfalle (butterflies), although I think bow ties is a better description.
