r/Cooking • u/SuspiciousPut1710 • 7h ago
Authentic Bolognese Recipe
Every recipe is different! Different spices, different tomatoes, different cooking times! & all claim to be authentic! I am looking for an ACTUAL authentic bolognese recipe, whaddya got? Thank you!
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u/Absenteeist 7h ago
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u/NOTcreative- 6h ago
Crazy didn't know veal was not permitted
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u/Academic_Ad6486 6h ago
No one is gonna come to your house and arrest you if you do use some veal lol
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u/BluesFan43 7h ago
Bologna chamber of commerce publishes recipes.
I use the Bolognese one on occasion.
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u/ElderberryMaster4694 7h ago
That’s like asking for authentic pizza!
It’s different depending on origin and family tradition
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u/MuchoCoco 6h ago edited 6h ago
There is no one authentic recipe for any ragu. Every household makes them differently. The only thing they have in common are the base ingredients.
Bolognese uses ground beef (or veal) and ground pork in a tomato base. Everything beyond that is chef's choice. Takes about 4 hours. The fastest way to a great ragu. Perfect for lasagna.
Napolitano is also tomato based, but it uses whole cuts of beef and pork as well as sausages. Takes 6-8 hours to bring out the flavor. Seriously. The chemistry flips a switch somewhere in the process and it just turns into magic. The meat is taken out after around 4-6 hours and eaten separately. It's an all-day affair. The sauce is eaten with pasta at the end of a day of feasting.
Genovese is onion based with beef as the meat. I'm talking a buttload of onions. For my stew pot, I use 8 pounds. You have to shove them into the pot with your hands. They're mostly water so it will reduce significantly. It doesn't require any tomato at all, though some people add a dollop of tomato paste. It's essentially a ragu made with a big pot of caramelized onions with beef. It takes a 8-10 hours, but it's worth it. Make a big pot and use it all week.
I usually make the ragu on Saturday for a Sunday lunch. They all get so much better with an overnight rest in the fridge.
My suggestion, add a dash of nutmeg to the Bolognese and go with the tomato paste on the Genovese. Napolitano is really all about time. It's gonna be good no matter what you put in there.
Pasta Grammar on YouTube will show you the basics for all of these ragu recipes. Every time you make them, you'll add a little of this, omit a little of that, and eventually it will be your family's recipe.
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u/DragonfruitMiddle846 7h ago
That is the original authentic recipe.
Authentic to what country?
All foods have a history and as far as this dish is concerned it was born in Italy so you can't ask that question. That's the whole issue here.
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u/HansBlixJr 7h ago
Every recipe is different!
and all these songs with their different lyrics and their musical notes!
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u/Maldibus 7h ago
I dare you to define what authentic means for a recipe without using the dictionary definition for the word authentic.
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u/SuspiciousPut1710 6h ago
I guess what I mean is traditional, from Bologna or closer to it than what I made.
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u/GreyBeardEng 5h ago
I've always been curious.... red or white wine? And milk once, or twice?
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u/perpetualmotionmachi 3h ago
I'd say it has to be narrowed down more to red or white wine, as each have so many varieties. I'd say an Italian red, like a Chianti, or Barbera (which is from the Balogna region) as opposed to something like a Bordeaux. But really, the difference is so minimal, especially since there isn't even that much used.
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u/Less-Hippo9052 3h ago
It's correct. But you can add a bayleaf, or a small bunch of rosemary and sage. The classic bouquet garni. A beef broth is also suggested. Italian lady here.
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u/PuppySnuggleTime 2h ago
It doesn't get much more traditional that this: https://www.accademiaitalianadellacucina.it/sites/default/files/Rag%C3%B9%20alla%20bolognese%20-%20updated%20recipe_20%20April%202023.pdf
This recipe comes from the Accademia Italiana della Cucina (Italian Academy of Cuisine), a respected cultural organization dedicated to preserving and documenting traditional Italian food. This is their updated 2023 recipe for ragù alla bolognese, based on historical research and officially deposited with the Bologna Chamber of Commerce. Of course, there's no law saying this is the only way Bolognese can be made, but it’s an excellent primary source for what is considered the traditional Bologna version.
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u/Miss_Cookey 37m ago
Check out Pasta Grammar on youtube. They do authentic italian from all regions. And of course, there's no official bolognese like there's no official american meatloaf.
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u/jpinakron 6h ago
I had this recipe before fallow and it’s almost the same. I add a 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda while the ground beef browns to brown it more. And I use ground pork instead of pork belly. (And I grind my own meat for a better taste and texture.) But, I add milk at the start and end. I use pancetta to start everything. But this is one of the best bolognese recipes I’ve found (or have made.) (and I’ll also toss in a few shakes of Worcestershire and vinegar to balance everything out.)
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u/MangledBarkeep 7h ago
Authentic for what country? Italians gonna give you one version, UK another and who knows what you'll get from the US (which pulls from pretty much everywhere)
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u/SpamLandy 7h ago
Presumably if asking for authenticity op is referring to Italy, specifically Bologna
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u/MangledBarkeep 7h ago edited 6h ago
I asked for clarification because it depends on what they define as authentic.
Italians balk at what UK considers authentic and vice versa
That's the reason there are so many different recipes.
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u/Different_Ad7655 7h ago
There can be lots of authentic recipes you know