Maltagliati translates as “badly cut” and refers to the irregularly shaped pasta bits left over when you cut tagliatelle, pappardelle, or other shapes that yield scraps. Back in the day, maltagliati were simply a by-product of pasta production. These days, you still find them on trattoria menus as an item that lets the kitchen use up leftover pasta bits—but they can also be made purposefully.
I had heard of maltagliati before landing in Bologna almost 10 years ago, but what stuck with me was maltagliati’s role in Bologna’s sense of community. La Vecchia Scuola was in a poorer part of town and Alessandra would save scraps from the students’ sfoglie, dry them, bag them, and give them away to people in the neighborhood. It was a beautiful thing.
