Interesting article in La Repubblica – some so called Italian dishes found only outside Italy, above all, take mamma’s advice!

Please do not talk to me about “Spaghetti Bolognaise” ! Nothing like that exists, in the Italian cuisine!

The sauce called ragù alla bolognese is a meat-based sauce originating in Bologna, Italy, and is usually served as “tagliatelle al ragù” and to prepare “lasagne alla bolognese”. It can also be served with pappardelle or fettuccine, or rigatoni or penne, and is made with slow cooked onion, celery and carrot, different types of minced or finely chopped beef, pancetta, wine and a small amount of tomato concentrate.

It is therefore somewhat different from the tomato based sauces found outside Italy, and is never served with spaghetti in Bologna or elsewhere in Italy. The sauce is not served with spaghetti for a good reason; the ragù adhers well to flat pasta, better than to spaghetti, so it tastes better!

So next time you think of making spagbog, try something more traditional !