About Bolognese Sauce
In 1982, the Italian Farmers’ Union, Coldiretti, issued a statement claiming that what is served around the world as "spaghetti Bolognese" often consists of "dishes of dubious quality" or, more precisely, "something that has nothing to do with the original recipe."
That same year, the Bologna Chamber of Commerce turned to the Academia Italiana della Cucina (Italian Culinary Academy) to establish an official recipe, limiting the ingredients to beef mince, pancetta, onion, carrot, celery, and milk.
It is also asserted that authentic sauce from Bologna should not be served with spaghetti but with egg-based tagliatelle, referencing a 1972 recipe which specifies that the pasta should be exactly 8 mm wide.
- 300 g minced meat (from beef, can + pork)
- 100-150 g bacon or smoked pancetta
- 1 small carrot, peeled and grated
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 5 tbsp. tomato sauce or tomato paste (I prefer Mutti)
- 1/2 glass dry white wine
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup broth
- a handful of grated Parmesan
- Tagliatelle pasta (alternatively, bucatini or spaghetti can be used)
- olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dice the bacon into small cubes. Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet, sauté the bacon, then add the chopped onion, celery, and carrot, cooking for about 5 minutes. Add the minced meat, wine, and broth, bringing the mixture to a boil. Then, stir in the tomato sauce and reduce the heat. Simmer on low heat for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, to prevent the meat from becoming tough. Gradually add the milk while cooking.
Boil the pasta until al dente, making sure not to overcook it. When serving, top the pasta with the sauce and generously sprinkle with Parmesan.
Dice the bacon into small cubes. Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet, sauté the bacon, then add the chopped onion, celery, and carrot, cooking for about 5 minutes. Add the minced meat, wine, and broth, bringing the mixture to a boil. Then, stir in the tomato sauce and reduce the heat. Simmer on low heat for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, to prevent the meat from becoming tough. Gradually add the milk while cooking.
Boil the pasta until al dente, making sure not to overcook it. When serving, top the pasta with the sauce and generously sprinkle with Parmesan.
