Spaghetti Bolognese – Italian classic with hearty meat sauce

Spaghetti alla Bolognese

A popular dish that represents an interpretation of Italian cuisine. Here is a recipe for Spaghetti alla Bolognese, which is internationally known and loved.

Ingredients

• 400 g spaghetti
• 500 g mixed ground meat (beef and pork)
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 stalks of celery, finely diced
• 800 g chopped tomatoes (canned)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 200 ml red wine
• 200 ml beef or vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or Italian herbs)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Freshly grated Parmesan for serving

Preparation

1. Sauté the vegetables in a large pot with a little olive oil, then remove.
2. Add the ground meat to the pot and cook until browned and crumbly. Then add the vegetables back in. Add the garlic and sauté briefly. Stir in the tomato paste and lightly roast.
3. Deglaze with red wine and let it reduce, then add chopped tomatoes or canned peeled tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and let the sauce simmer slowly for at least 1 hour.
4. While the sauce is simmering, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package instructions until al dente.
5. Drain the spaghetti and mix with the Bolognese sauce. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan.

Long simmering enhances the flavors. Fresh herbs like basil or thyme can be used for refinement. The sauce is excellent for freezing and often tastes even better the next day.

Spaghetti Bolognese: A culinary journey from Bologna to international cuisine

The history of Spaghetti Bolognese is interesting, as it is popular in both Italian and international cuisine, but did not originate in its current form in Italy. Originally, in traditional Bolognese cuisine, there is "Ragù alla Bolognese," a meat sauce that is traditionally served with tagliatelle, not with spaghetti. The Spaghetti Bolognese, as it is known internationally, likely originated outside of Italy and was adapted to suit the tastes and availabilities in other countries. Thus, the traditional Italian ragù combined with spaghetti became a globally recognized dish.