Tagliolini di Borragini con Pesto

**Tagliolini di Borragini con Pesto** is a traditional pasta dish from the Liguria region of northwestern Italy, where borage (borragine) is cultivated as both a vegetable and an herb. The dish combines thin, fresh egg tagliolini with a pesto sauce, typically made from basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and olive oil, but here the addition of borage leaves—which have a mild, cucumber-like flavor—distinguishes it from standard pesto preparations. The borage is often blanched and either pureed into the pesto or wilted and tossed with the pasta alongside the sauce.

A great execution relies on fresh, hand-cut tagliolini that absorb the pesto without becoming clumpy; the borage should be tender and bright green, not overcooked, and the pesto should be emulsified to a creamy consistency with high-quality olive oil. Some Ligurian cooks substitute walnuts for pine nuts or add a touch of potato water to loosen the sauce. Regional variations may include the use of other greens such as wild herbs or a lighter, butter-based finish.

The dish is notably featured at **Baccicin Duaru** in Fado Basso, Italia, where chef **Francesco Zini** prepares it as a showcase of local produce. Zini’s version emphasizes the borage’s subtle earthiness against the pungent basil, using hand-rolled tagliolini that “cling to the pesto like a second skin,” according to food writers. While the dish appears in home kitchens throughout Liguria during spring, Baccicin Duaru’s interpretation has become a reference point for visitors seeking authentic regional pasta.