I’m American, so what would I know about “authentic”?
However, I am trying to recreate the meat sauce from Gino’s in Hancock, MI. Whenever I’m back up there I have to have their meat sauce & cheese ravioli. I’ve played around with a couple likely recipes. Canal House’s bolognese gets me pretty close. Beef & pork. Mirepoix. Some crushed tomato. Wine. I add garlic because my mom wants it. Then nutmeg. But not a pinch. A whole nutmeg, grated. And some cinnamon. Luxuries like pancetta, prosciutto, mortadella, etc would not have been available to the miners so I leave those out.
Your comment made both me and my husband (a Michigander) curious! We are putting Gino’s on our list. We looked up the menu and saw they serve something called cudeghi, which sounds like a version of cotechino. I’m so intrigued by midwestern Italian-American food, especially from the UP. Also, I have not seen Canal House’s recipe for Bolognese ragu. Will look it up (I have a couple of their books). Thanks!
I’ve spent perhaps thirty summer vacations on the other end of the UP (Sugar Island near the Soo) and always wanted to get to the Copper Harbor side. Gino’s looks great!
Your mom's ragù bolognese is just perfect, and it's exactly the way I was taught by several cooks in Bologna some years ago. One of them said to me, almost defiantly: "This is not a tomato sauce with meat. It's a meat sauce with a little tomato." A good maxim to keep in mind.
I'm irrationally proud that I've *finally* mastered spaghetti cacio e pepe. I make respectable puttanesca sauce, and got no complaints when I've attempted bucatini all'Amatriciana.
But to date I've been too intimidated to attempt a legit Bolognese. Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful story. I see this column as a sign. My husband's sister is coming this week for her birthday. Now I know what to make. Thank you, Domenica. And happy birthday to your daughter.
I loved each word of this newsletter, thank for sharing. The trick of adding mortadella at the end is incredible; I must try it! Just a thing,authentic Bolognese mortadella does not contain pistachios, the one with green dots is Roman. In any case, it does not matter. As a Bolognese, I want to add a note that I hope you will find interesting. The city and the countryside are divided almost in half by the custom of using pork, usually loin, in addition to pancetta and beef. Pork is added in order to make the ragù more lavish and less dry. When the Italian Culinary Academy registered the recipe at the local Camera di Commercio in Bologna, they chose the version without ground pork. They registered the one with beef and pancetta. All hell broke loose! Lol. The people are still today divided. My husband's family and my family usually added pork, and so do I. Although I think this makes me a bit of a rebel cook, well... like you (I mean, for so-called rule experts). Long life the home cooking because its flavors are all special and unique. In a standardized world, this is quite an achievement. Un abbraccio, Monica
Monica, thank you for adding the true Bolognese perspective, and the detail about mortadella and pistachios. This is why I love Italian food and cooking. I never stop learning. ❤️
Anche io! Me too. That's probably what I love most about this food journey. By the way, a few years ago I discovered mortadella from Prato (with alchermes and other spices). It was an incredible discovery I made during a press tour in Tuscany. If you want an address, look for the Mannori sisters and you'll find the best product. Hugs, Monica
I will confess to using Marcella’s recipe but with pork sausage. I know it’s not authentic and perhaps scandalous! We don’t really cook beef much. But your version sounds so delicious!
Wonderful article - I stand by Marcella’s recipe, which is spattered after years and years of use. Home-made lasagne with ragù, again following Marcella’s recipes takes hours and is one of my celebration recipes - no need for cake.
As boring as this sounds, I am a purist/ traditionalist when it comes to Bolognese and find it difficult to imagine anything better than Marcella Hazan’s iconic Bolognese recipe but only with beef and pork. Beef only is a snoozer.
Why celebrate with cake when you can have this?
Exactly 👍
Well yes but what WAS the cake!?
This one! 🎉https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/funfetti-layer-cake/
Oh how fun!
I don’t like when folks call “any old meat sauce” Bolognese. And usually it’s overwhelmed with tomato flavor.
THIS!
I’m American, so what would I know about “authentic”?
However, I am trying to recreate the meat sauce from Gino’s in Hancock, MI. Whenever I’m back up there I have to have their meat sauce & cheese ravioli. I’ve played around with a couple likely recipes. Canal House’s bolognese gets me pretty close. Beef & pork. Mirepoix. Some crushed tomato. Wine. I add garlic because my mom wants it. Then nutmeg. But not a pinch. A whole nutmeg, grated. And some cinnamon. Luxuries like pancetta, prosciutto, mortadella, etc would not have been available to the miners so I leave those out.
Your comment made both me and my husband (a Michigander) curious! We are putting Gino’s on our list. We looked up the menu and saw they serve something called cudeghi, which sounds like a version of cotechino. I’m so intrigued by midwestern Italian-American food, especially from the UP. Also, I have not seen Canal House’s recipe for Bolognese ragu. Will look it up (I have a couple of their books). Thanks!
I’ve spent perhaps thirty summer vacations on the other end of the UP (Sugar Island near the Soo) and always wanted to get to the Copper Harbor side. Gino’s looks great!
I’ve only been to the UP once. Really want to get back up there!
I simply loved reading about how various ragù recipes brought you to this version!
Thank you!
Your mom's ragù bolognese is just perfect, and it's exactly the way I was taught by several cooks in Bologna some years ago. One of them said to me, almost defiantly: "This is not a tomato sauce with meat. It's a meat sauce with a little tomato." A good maxim to keep in mind.
Yes, exactly. Thank you, Nancy.
Even though the heat has arrived and the AC is on I am tempted to make this for dinner tomorrow!
Bolognese knows no season. Do it!
I'm irrationally proud that I've *finally* mastered spaghetti cacio e pepe. I make respectable puttanesca sauce, and got no complaints when I've attempted bucatini all'Amatriciana.
But to date I've been too intimidated to attempt a legit Bolognese. Thanks for sharing!
It’s not difficult if you take the time to let the process unfold. I’d argue it’s less tricky than cacio e pepe. Go for it 💪
I *think* authentic mortadella is still not available in the USA?
You can definitely get imported mortadella in the U.S. (depending on where you live).
Wonderful story. I see this column as a sign. My husband's sister is coming this week for her birthday. Now I know what to make. Thank you, Domenica. And happy birthday to your daughter.
Definitely a sign. Enjoy!
Am I a purist if the tomato I add is a teaspoon of estratto di pomodoro from Sicily?
Ha ~ my guess is there was no tomato at all in the earliest versions. Is there a purist version of any of these classic recipes?
Not if there’s such a thing as harmonic convergence.
I loved each word of this newsletter, thank for sharing. The trick of adding mortadella at the end is incredible; I must try it! Just a thing,authentic Bolognese mortadella does not contain pistachios, the one with green dots is Roman. In any case, it does not matter. As a Bolognese, I want to add a note that I hope you will find interesting. The city and the countryside are divided almost in half by the custom of using pork, usually loin, in addition to pancetta and beef. Pork is added in order to make the ragù more lavish and less dry. When the Italian Culinary Academy registered the recipe at the local Camera di Commercio in Bologna, they chose the version without ground pork. They registered the one with beef and pancetta. All hell broke loose! Lol. The people are still today divided. My husband's family and my family usually added pork, and so do I. Although I think this makes me a bit of a rebel cook, well... like you (I mean, for so-called rule experts). Long life the home cooking because its flavors are all special and unique. In a standardized world, this is quite an achievement. Un abbraccio, Monica
Monica, thank you for adding the true Bolognese perspective, and the detail about mortadella and pistachios. This is why I love Italian food and cooking. I never stop learning. ❤️
Anche io! Me too. That's probably what I love most about this food journey. By the way, a few years ago I discovered mortadella from Prato (with alchermes and other spices). It was an incredible discovery I made during a press tour in Tuscany. If you want an address, look for the Mannori sisters and you'll find the best product. Hugs, Monica
Oh my goodness ~ mortadella with alchermes! Inspired combination 👌
Thanks for sharing the story and recipes! Love comparing different preparations even from within the same region.
The variations keep things interesting. There’s no such thing as the perfect recipe …for anything 😊
I will confess to using Marcella’s recipe but with pork sausage. I know it’s not authentic and perhaps scandalous! We don’t really cook beef much. But your version sounds so delicious!
Oh that sounds like a good variation.
Wonderful article - I stand by Marcella’s recipe, which is spattered after years and years of use. Home-made lasagne with ragù, again following Marcella’s recipes takes hours and is one of my celebration recipes - no need for cake.
Thank you, Helen. Marcella’s is 100% the real deal, of course. I hope you’ll give my mom’s a go sometime. It’s pretty special 🌟
I will definitely try your mother’s recipe.
This is lovely and I love bolognese!
Thanks, Jolene. ❤️
As boring as this sounds, I am a purist/ traditionalist when it comes to Bolognese and find it difficult to imagine anything better than Marcella Hazan’s iconic Bolognese recipe but only with beef and pork. Beef only is a snoozer.
I hope you’ll give this version a try. I feel it hits all the marks 🎯
Ok!
I love it! I love the research. I love the request for the birthday dinner.
I love how delicious it all sounds...and will be!!
Happy Sunday.
Thanks, Christine. Happy Sunday to you, too!
You will be happy to know that we have a new Sicilian gelato/bakery
a few blocks away. I had to go check it out today! Delicious!!!!