This Maltagliati Pasta with Cod and Tomatoes s a humble, comforting dish full of Mediterranean flavor. With flaky cod, sweet cherry tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil, it's the kind of simple recipe that proves you don't need fancy ingredients to make something delicious. The rough-cut maltagliati pasta soaks up the sauce beautifully, making every bite rustic and satisfying.
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It's an easy weeknight dinner, yet it feels special enough to serve to guests. Light but flavorful, this dish brings the warmth of coastal Italy right to your table.
For more seafood dishes check out also this Linguine alle Vongole (Pasta with Clams) or this Shrimp & Broccoli Pasta.
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What is Maltagliati Pasta?
"Maltagliati" is a shape of fresh pasta usually handmade which literally means "badly cut". It's usually done roughly cutting square-rhombus shapes from a medium-thin sheet of fresh pasta.
The peculiarity of this cut of pasta is that every single piece is slightly different from each other, since they are all cut randomly. Although the dimension is pretty much the same, around 5 cm (2 inches) per side. The maltagliati should not be too thin otherwise the pasta could break while cooking or stirring, due to its wide dimensions.
Check out also this extensive post on how to make fresh pasta from scratch.
Substitutions
- Cod → Use any firm white fish like haddock, halibut, or even salted cod (soaked overnight).
- Maltagliati → Try pappardelle, tagliatelle broken into pieces, or another flat pasta.
- No wine? → Replace with a splash of lemon juice or a bit of fish stock for acidity.
- Add heat → Toss in a pinch of chili flakes or a sliced red chili for a spicy kick.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this pasta hot with:
- A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- Crusty bread to mop up the sauce
- A glass of crisp white wine like Vermentino or Pinot Grigio
- A simple arugula salad with lemon dressing on the side
It's a light meal that still satisfies-a perfect example of southern Italian home cooking.
Storage & Reheating
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Reheat: Warm gently in a pan with a splash of water or olive oil to loosen the sauce. Be careful not to overcook the fish while reheating.
Freezer: Not recommended. The fish and tomatoes can become watery after thawing.
FAQs
Yes, just make sure to soak salted cod overnight and adjust salt in the dish accordingly.
Yes! Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or fresh chili to the garlic oil.
Pappardelle, broken lasagna sheets, or tagliatelle scraps work great.
Related Recipes you might like
If you like this recipe, check also these other handmade pasta recipes:
- "Trofie al Pesto" Pasta and Pesto from scratch
- "Pici Cacio e Pepe" Tuscan Pici pasta with cheese and pepper
- Garganelli pasta with shrimps and squids
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📖 RECIPE
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- First off you need to make the dough for the pasta.
- In a bowl mix the flours and make a "mountain", with a fork make a hole in the top and break the eggs in it. Lighly whisk the eggs with the fork and slowly start to blend in some flour. Go on until most of the flour is mixed with the egg and you obtained a sticky dough.
- Now get your hands dirty and start kneading the dough until it becomes a soft ball of dough. If necessary add some more flour to coat the surface so it doesn't stick.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set aside to rest (about 15-20 minutes).
- When the pasta dough is rested, dust a wooden board or a clean table with flour and cut the pasta dough in 2 parts. Take the first part and stretch it slowly with the rolling pin, fold it in the middle on itself and stretch again, then repeat on the other side.
- When the dough is "warmed up", roll it out until you get a medium-thin sheet (about 2mm). Then with a sharp knife cut random square-rhombus shapes and set them aside to rest on a clean cloth.
- While the maltagliati rest, prepare the condiment: melt the butter in a pan, add the garlic cloves cut in half and the cherry tomatoes also cut in half. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes then add the codfish roughly chopped.
- After 1 minute or 2, pour the white wine and let it evaporate, then season with salt and chili pepper and turn the heat to low; cover the pan and let it simmer softly.
- In the meanwhile bring a large pot of water to boil, add the salt and then throw in the maltagliati one by one paying attention that they don't stick to each other.
- Cook the pasta for 2-3 minutes (it mostly depends on the thickness, taste the pasta to make sure it's al dente).
- When the pasta is ready, drain it and pour it in the pan with the codfish and stir well until they are all well combined.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve accompanied by a glass of white wine.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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