In the Emilia Romagna region of Italy, sfogline is the term used to describe the small army of Italian women—the “pasta ladies”—who knead and roll egg pasta by hand. They create their magic in home kitchens, small workshops, and backrooms of restaurants and trattorias.

This artisanal craft leaves no room for innovation or experimentation because its foot soldiers are obliged to adhere to the same precise methods and recipes of generations of women before them. The Chamber of Commerce of Bologna dictates the size, exact shape, type of fold, and ratio of ingredients for each type of pasta.