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Tagliatelle paglia e fieno with artichokes and bacon

17/11/2023

The tagliatelle paglia e fieno are a colorful variant of traditional tagliatelle, where “straw” usually refers to the classic egg tagliatelle and “hay” to those colored with spinach to achieve that beautiful green color.

Here is a recipe that combines the tradition of tagliatelle paglia e fieno with typical local ingredients like artichokes and bacon.

Ingredients

  • 300 g of tagliatelle paglia e fieno
  • 4 fresh artichokes
  • 150 g of pancetta, diced
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 lemon (the juice)
  • Freshly chopped parsley (optional)
  • Grated Parmigiano (to serve)

Preparation

  1. Cleaning the artichokes: Remove the outer harder leaves of the artichokes, cut the tips and the fibrous parts of the stem. Cut the artichokes into wedges and immerse them in water with lemon juice to prevent them from darkening.

  2. Cook the artichokes: In a pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and add the garlic clove. Let it brown then add the drained and cut artichokes. Add a little water or vegetable broth and let it cook covered until the artichokes are tender. Season with salt and pepper.

  3. Brown the pancetta: In another pan, cook the diced pancetta until it’s crispy. There’s no need to add oil, as the pancetta will release its own fat while cooking.

  4. Cook the tagliatelle: Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the tagliatelle paglia e fieno according to the time instructions on the package.

  5. Combine the ingredients: Once the pancetta is crispy and the artichokes are soft, combine them in the same pan. Drain the tagliatelle al dente and transfer it to the pan with the artichokes and pancetta. Mix well to flavor the pasta.

  6. Plating: Serve the hot tagliatelle paglia e fieno, topped with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley and grated Parmigiano, if desired.

Curiosity

The “paglia e fieno” pasta gets its name not only from its colors but also because in some areas of Italy it was customary to use herbs to dye the pasta, creating a dish that visually recalled freshly cut hay and dry straw from the barns.

Tagliatelle paglia e fieno with artichokes and bacon