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Tajarin with Meat and Liver Sauce

17/11/2023

Tajarin with meat and liver sauce is a rather rich and tasty dish typical of the Piedmontese cuisine. The base of Tajarin, which are a type of egg pasta similar to tagliolini but thinner and more porous, is excellent for absorbing the meat sauce.

Ingredients

  • 300 g of flour 00
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 150 g of ground beef
  • 150 g of chicken livers
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1 glass of red wine
  • Meat broth (as needed)
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Butter
  • Salt and pepper
  • grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation

  1. Start with the preparation of the tajarin: lay out the flour in a fountain-like shape on a work surface, add the yolks and a pinch of salt. Start kneading first with a fork and then with your hands until you have a smooth dough. Let the dough rest, covered with a cloth for about 30 minutes.
  2. In the meantime, let’s move on to the sauce: clean and finely chop the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté them in a pan with oil and a knob of butter until golden brown.
  3. Add the ground meat and chopped chicken livers, letting them brown over high heat for a few minutes.
  4. Deglaze with a glass of red wine and let the alcohol evaporate. Adjust with salt and pepper.
  5. Add the meat broth a little at a time, letting the sauce cook on a low flame and adding broth as it dries out. Proceed for about 1 hour until the sauce becomes thick and the flavors are well blended.
  6. Roll out the tajarin dough as thin as possible and cut it into strips. Bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook the tajarin for 2-3 minutes, until they float to the surface.
  7. Drain the tajarin and toss them in the pan with the meat and liver sauce for a moment.
  8. Serve hot and, if liked, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Curiosity

The tajarin are a pasta format typical of the Langhe and Monferrato areas. According to tradition, in some households even up to 40 egg yolks per kilogram of flour were used to give them a particular richness and softness. This pasta is so representative of Piedmont that it is often prepared for festive occasions, accompanying rich sauces like meat and liver or the classic ragù.

Tajarin with Meat and Liver Sauce