Scissor-Cut Noodles Are The Ultimate Pairing With Bolognese. Here's Why

The best kinds of noodles are the ones that act as a vehicle for sauce. Sure, pasta can be delicious on its own, but we're not eating big bowls of it just to down forkfuls of dry, starchy carbs. And when it comes to Bolognese in particular, there are plenty of ingredients we want to hold onto. Whether it's a classic meaty version with pancetta, pork shoulder, and skirt steak, or a vegetarian recipe with mushrooms and walnuts, the ideal pasta for Bolognese is one that allows you to trap in as much sauce as possible. So if you've never paired it with scissor-cut noodles, you may want to give them a shot.

Beyond just a tasty combination, stirring these ingredients together is an infusion of cultures. Scissor-cut noodles, also called jian dao mian, come from the Shanxi province in China, which is renowned for using wheat in its cuisine. Bolognese, on the other hand, originated in the Italian city Bologna and was traditionally mixed with tagliatelle. However, there's a good reason to switch out these longer noodles for jian dao mian. The scissor-cut versions are shaped like little doughy canoes, fairly short but with slits to cradle your sauce. They're delightfully chewy but sturdy enough to make sure none of that delicious Bolognese goes to waste.

Not only are scissor-cut noodles tasty and the perfect pairing to Bolognese, but they're much easier than other pasta types to whip up at home. You'll start off with flour and water in a 2:1 ratio, then add a pinch of salt to mix into your dough, which you'll eventually form into a log shape. There's no need for a pasta-maker here, as you're going to cut strips directly into a pot of boiling water, making sure to coat your scissors with oil ahead of time so the blades don't stick. It should only take a few minutes for the noodles to curl into shape and soften, at which point you can drain them and coat them in your sauce.

If making a Sunday sauce and from-scratch noodles at the same time sounds like too much, you can also prepare the latter ahead of time. If you'd like, you can let your dough log chill in the fridge for up to a day before you snip it into boiling water. In the same vein, you can make your Bolognese the day before you make your pasta, then heat it up before combining the two. And while these elements pair beautifully together, scissor-cut noodles can work well with any sauce you love, so you may want to also try it with pesto, Arrabbiata, or a walnut cream sauce.