To demonstrate my ability to nitpick any topic I recently completed a 3 volume study about originality and authenticity of the world famous ragu’ alla bolognese or bolognese pasta sauce.
The theory sought to be proven is simply this: There is such a thing as an authentic and original sauce of this kind coming from Bologna Italy, compared with which which all other pretenders to the name – whether from Italy or outside – can be regarded as utterly shameful and deplorable imitations.
How’s that for a mouthful?
After slogging through a number of historical volumes, the web sites, and topping that off with a walking tour of Bologna, during which I struck up a conversation with any attractive female in the town who showed the slightest evidence of being someone’s grandmother I came up with proof. Yes, you might say I went to the source to learn about the sauce. (In Rhode Island these two words are pronounced exactly the same, i.e. sauce).
I discovered that in 1982 the Italian Academy of Cuisine registered with the Bologna City Hall what it states is the correct recipe for ragu’ alla bolognese. This is a fact. But there was a problem. I could not locate this official registration anywhere on line so I have to rely on the pronouncement of the Academy.
On a recent visit to Rome I dined at the well-known restaurant called, appropriately enough, “Dal Bolognese,” a restaurant so famous that it soon became a small chain – sort of like Ruth’s Chris in the U.S. Nonetheless it produced the appropriately concocted ragu’ for my bucatini pasta, both of which, in addition to being “authentic and original” were absolutely phenomenal!
After all the effort, particularly the part about interviewing the good looking grandmas, I am 100% confident that the true recipe for ragu’ alla bolognese must contain at least the following items: pancetta, ground beef, ground pork and/or ground veal, chopped celery, garlic, carrot and onion, red or white wine, beef broth and tomato paste. Period.
So, for the presumed authentic and original recipe my recitation is as follows:
Ragu’ alla Bolognese
for 4 servings:
- 1 lb. ground skirt steak (70% lean ground beef will do)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pork pancetta (now available everywhere except maybe 7-Eleven)
- 1/4 cup or more olive oil or olive oil plus butter
- 1 cup red or white wine (there is beef plus pork in the recipe so you take your pick. I use red)
- 1 cup beef broth (another reason for using the red wine)
- 1 can tomato paste
- 1 medium onion, 1 medium carrot, 1 medium celery rib – all finely diced
- salt and pepper to taste
Lightly oil a large saute’ pan with butter included if desired. Cook the pancetta and diced vegetables at medium heat until softened . After about 10 minutes add the beef and cook until browned. In this case “browned” is meant literally. Try to achieve a darkened coloration to the meat being careful not to burn. Add the wine and allow to evaporate. Scrape the pan. Add the tomato paste and beef broth, lower heat and stir from time to time. At this point the tough part begins. As the ragu’ thickens add water a little at a time and go around the track again. Repeat the cycle until the meat breaks down almost completely and the sauce is thickened.
After about 5 hours of very slow simmer the exercise is complete.
Now to further belabor the subject I consulted Mario Batali’s award winning volume Molto Italiano (Harper Collins, New York 2005) and found on p. 245 Mario’s version of the official recipe. It includes all the necessary basics plus one extra ingredient – thyme. I respect this deviation but I don’t follow it. If you note in just about all of Mario’s cookbooks and TV shows that feature red sauces for pasta you will find him adding thyme to the recipe.
I suspect the restaurant Mario interned at in Italy had a couple of acres of thyme growing in the back. Nevertheless on the Italian websites I have yet to find a bolognese sauce recipe that calls for it. Thyme is not of the esssence but in the last analysis, in deference to the now banished-from-tv Mario Batali, go ahead and throw it in.