We've been (slowly) watching Stanley Tucci's "Searching For Italy" and I've been inspired through watching it to recreate some of the dishes mentioned. In particular, the traditional dishes that kicked off the phenomenon that is now Italian cuisine.

In the third episode of season one, Stanley Tucci tries what he referred to as the original Bolognese recipe. The food nerd in me could not resist. I HAD to try to recreate it and went on a hunt for the recipe, then proceeded to fall down a giant Bolognese rabbit hole. More on the rabbit hole after the recipe because I do not believe in endless scrolling just to get to the recipe.

Important Note #1:
I am attempting to include alternative cooking methods in all my recipes, so where application there will always be a traditional/conventional cooking method, an air fryer or crock pot option, or a Thermomix option.
You can choose whichever method you prefer to use.

Important Note #2:
I have opted to keep my cooking of the recipe as original as possible, so there will be no alternative cooking methods, but I did cheat and used my Thermomix to mince up my soffritto. It was late. I was hungry!!

Here's the recipe:

(This recipe is adapted from Pellegrino Artusi's 1891 cookbook, La Scienza in Cucina e l'Arte di Mangiar Bene. I've kept it as close to the original as I could managed, but have updated the ingredients list and instructions into my standard recipe format, so it's easier to follow.)

Ingredients (for 4 servings):

Lean veal fillet, 150g (5.3 oz), finely diced or thinly sliced.
Pancetta (cured and unsalted), 50g (1.75 oz), finely chopped.
Butter, 40g (2 tbsp + 2 tsp or 1/4 cup), unsalted.
Onion (yellow or brown), 1/4 medium, finely diced.
Carrot, 1/2 medium, finely diced.
Celery, 2 palm-length ribs (or the leafy part of green celery), finely diced.
All-purpose flour, 1 tsp (approx. 3g), for thickening.
Veal or chicken broth, 100ml (½ cup or 3.4 fl oz) to start, plus more as needed. While Artusi simply states "broth," veal or chicken broth best complements the veal in the recipe.
Salt, to taste.
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Nutmeg, freshly grated, a pinch (optional).

Optional Additions:

Dried mushrooms, 10g (0.35 oz), soaked in warm water until softened, then chopped.
Truffle, a few slices, thinly sliced.
Cooked chicken liver, 50g (1.75 oz), finely chopped.
Cooking cream (single cream), 120ml (1/2 cup or 4 fl oz).
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated to serve.

Instructions:

Prepare the Soffritto: In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (a pot that retains heat well is ideal), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the finely chopped pancetta, onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened and translucent, but not browned. This slow cooking of the vegetables, known as a soffritto, is the foundation of the sauce's flavor. This should take about 8-10 minutes.
Brown the Veal: Add the finely diced veal to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the veal is well browned on all sides. This browning adds depth of flavor.
Add Flour and Broth: Sprinkle the teaspoon of flour over the meat and vegetables. Stir well to incorporate the flour, ensuring there are no dry lumps. This will help thicken the sauce slightly. Gradually add the initial 100ml (½ cup) of broth, a little at a time, stirring constantly. You want the sauce to thicken, but not become too thick.
Season and Simmer: Season the mixture with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg (if using). Stir well. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally. Artusi's recipe suggests a relatively short cooking time (around 10 minutes after browning the veal), adding more broth as needed to keep the meat moist and prevent the sauce from drying out. However, you can simmer for longer (up to an hour or more) for a richer flavor, continuing to add broth as needed. The key is to maintain a moist, saucy consistency.
Add Optional Ingredients (If Using): If you're using dried mushrooms, add them now, along with their soaking liquid (strained, if necessary). If using truffles or cooked chicken liver, add them towards the end of the cooking time, just to heat through. If you want a creamier sauce, stir in the cooking cream at the very end, just before serving. Heat through gently; do not boil.
Cook the Pasta: While the sauce simmers, cook your pasta of choice. Artusi recommended "denti di cavallo di mezzana grandezza," a type of pasta that's hard to find today. Tagliatelle is the most common modern choice, as its broad, flat shape holds the sauce well. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente (firm to the bite). Drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of the starchy pasta water.
Combine and Finish: Add the drained pasta to the pot with the Bolognese sauce. Toss to coat the pasta thoroughly. Add a little of the reserved pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, if needed to help the sauce coat the pasta evenly and create a creamy emulsion. The starch in the pasta water helps bind the sauce to the pasta.
Serve: Serve immediately, topped with a generous amount of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. This is traditionally served over tagliatelle.

Notes and Tips:

Finely Chop: The success of this recipe lies in the fine texture of the soffritto. Take your time to chop the vegetables and pancetta very finely, almost minced. This creates a smooth, well-integrated sauce.
Gradual Broth Addition: Adding the broth gradually is crucial. It allows you to control the sauce's consistency and prevent it from becoming too watery or too thick.
Pasta Water is Gold: Don't discard the pasta water! It's a key ingredient for creating a creamy, emulsified sauce that clings beautifully to the pasta.
Serving: Unlike some modern presentations where the sauce is spooned over the pasta, it's traditional (and best) to thoroughly mix the pasta and sauce together before serving. This ensures every strand of pasta is coated with flavor.
Cook Time Flexibility: While Artusi's original recipe has a short cook time, modern palates often prefer a longer simmer for a deeper flavor. Adjust the simmering time to your preference, always ensuring the sauce remains moist.
Butter: Use unsalted butter. This allows you to have full control on the salt in the recipe.

PS. I couldn't find any minced veal, so ended up using a beef and pork mince instead. Since veal broth is not something that's easy to find on short notice, I opted for chicken broth. I prefer it anyway. Other than that, I kept to the original recipe as closely as possible and even skipped on the optional ingredients.

PPS. The recipe is simple, but deceptively rich. It's probably because it's cooked in butter instead of olive oil.

Now for the food-nerding-out for those of you who got this far and are still interested. And if you have made it this far, leave me a spaghetti emoji in the comments. 🍝🍝🍝

Before I Go... The Giant Nerd in Me

Before I go, I'd like to leave you with some extra information that the giant nerd in me loved researching, all thanks to this simple plate of pasta. I'm talking about the origins of Bolognese sauce, and the man who first wrote it down: Pellegrino Artusi.

Who Was Pellegrino Artusi? (And Why Should We Care?)

So, who was this guy? Pellegrino Artusi (1820-1911) wasn't a celebrity chef or a restaurant owner. He was a businessman, a silk merchant from Forlimpopoli, a small town in Emilia-Romagna (a region famous for its food, by the way – think Parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar, prosciutto… the list goes on). He was what you might call a "gentleman cook," someone with the time and resources to pursue his passion for food. And that passion led him to write La Scienza in Cucina e l'Arte di Mangiar Bene (Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well), published in 1891.

This book wasn't just a collection of recipes. It was a meticulously researched, tested, and annotated guide to Italian cooking, aimed at middle-class home cooks. It was also funny, filled with anecdotes and personal observations. Artusi was a methodical, scientific kind of guy, but he also had a sense of humor. And, importantly, he was a patriot. His book, with recipes from all over Italy, helped create a sense of a unified Italian cuisine after the country's unification. It's still in print today, a testament to its enduring value.

**The Birth of Bolognese (Or, Maccheroni alla Bolognese)**

Now, let's get to the Bolognese. Artusi's recipe isn't the original Bolognese – the sauce had likely been around in various forms for a while. But his is the first documented version, the one that got written down and preserved. He called it Maccheroni alla Bolognese, and it was a bit different from what we think of as Bolognese today. It was simpler, often using leaner cuts of meat (veal, for instance), and it didn't include tomatoes (they were a relatively new addition to Italian cuisine at the time). And it was not spaghetti. It was originally served with tagliatelle.

The key takeaway here is that Artusi's recipe is a snapshot in time, a starting point in the evolution of a dish that has continued to change and adapt over the years. It's a reminder that even the most iconic dishes have a history, a story of development and transformation.

Spag Bol: An Aussie Abomination (That Artusi Might Secretly Analyze?)

And that brings me to "spag bol." As an Aussie, I've had a lot of this… interpretation of Bolognese. It's a staple, a quick weeknight meal, often made with spaghetti (hence the "spag") and a, shall we say, liberal interpretation of the sauce.

What would Artusi think? I imagine a mixture of horror and fascination. The name alone – "spag bol" – would probably make him shudder. The use of spaghetti instead of the traditional tagliatelle… another culinary crime. But then, I think his scientific curiosity would kick in. He'd want to know why. Why spaghetti? Why these particular ingredients? He'd analyze it, dissect it, and probably conclude that it's a completely different dish, a distant, slightly embarrassing relative of his beloved Maccheroni alla Bolognese. He might even find it… amusing. In a way, it proves his point: food evolves.

Why This Matters (Beyond a Good Meal)

This is not to say that one version is authentic and the other is not. It's a matter of acknowledging where the origins of the dish came from.

This whole exploration of Artusi and Bolognese isn't just about a single recipe. It's about the bigger picture: how food travels, how it changes, how it reflects culture and history. It's about appreciating the origins of a dish while also recognizing that adaptation and innovation are part of the culinary process. It's about understanding where our food comes from, and maybe, just maybe, appreciating the journey it's taken to get to our plates.

Daz in the Kitchen

Saturday, March 8, 2025

The first documented "original" Bolognese recipe by Pellegrino Artusi from 1891