Mafaldine
Mafaldine are narrow ribbon pasta with ruffled edges on both sides, a smaller version of mafalde. They are elegant, playful, and excellent at catching and holding sauce in their wavy ridges.
History & Tradition
Mafaldine are a narrower version of mafalde, also known as reginette (little queens), named after Princess Mafalda of Savoy. The naming of pasta shapes after royalty, military conquests, and historical events was a common practice in Italy: tripolini were named after the Italian colony in Libya, while assabesi marked the purchase of the port of Assab in Eritrea. Princess Mafalda's story is a tragic one; she was killed in a concentration camp in 1944 at the age of 41, adding a somber layer to this otherwise playful shape. Mafaldine are widely available as both a factory-made and artisan product.
Dough
How to Make
- Sift flour onto a work surface and make a well in the center. Add eggs and a pinch of salt.
- Using fingertips or a fork, work the flour and eggs together until a craggy dough forms.
- Knead the dough energetically, using the heel of your hand, until smooth and firm, about 10 minutes.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough out into a thin sheet on a flour-dusted work surface.
- Using a fluted pastry wheel, cut the sheet into long, narrow ribbons to create the characteristic ruffled edges.
- Place the mafaldine on flour-dusted baking sheets.
- Boil in plenty of salted water until al dente.