Italians outraged over Bolognese recipe as classic UK dish is 'completely wrong'

A British food writer has sparked outrage among Italians after sharing his 'easy' Bolognese recipe, which they claim is 'completely wrong'.

Spaghetti Bolognese is undoubtedly a beloved dish in the UK, but don't expect to find it on your travels in Italy. The meaty tomato sauce we're all familiar with is known as Ragu in Italy, and its variations depend on the region.

So, when you hear Ragu alla Bolognese, it refers to a sauce from the town of Bologna, reports the Mirror.

The dish we often call Spaghetti Bolognese is believed to have been adapted and renamed by Italian immigrants who established restaurants in the UK post-war. However, this remains a contentious topic, as food writer Adam James Pollock recently discovered.

Pollock took to X (previously known as Twitter) to share a recipe for what he described as the 'most iconic Italian pasta dish', Bolognese. His post, which has garnered an impressive 1.4 million views, included an ingredients list featuring 1kg ground beef, 100g pancetta, two large carrots, two celery stalks, a brown onion, three garlic cloves, a can of plum tomatoes, tomato paste, parmesan, bay leaves, pasta, wine, beef stock, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

He began by prepping his vegetables and then moved on to cook the pancetta, following up with the beef over a medium flame. After the meat was browned, he poured in some wine and let it simmer for a solid ten minutes before tossing in the chopped veggies and a mix of herbs and spices.

Pollock wrapped up his culinary venture by adding stock to the sauce, letting it stew for hours, and finally mixing in a cup of pasta water along with the al dente pasta.

Yet, it wasn't long before his recipe was met with a barrage of criticism regarding its authenticity.

"Please do not say this is an Italian dish. It is probably tasty, but Bolognese sauce does not exist in Italy and Ragu differs from your recipe," one user expressed their annoyance.

Another concurred, posting: "Sweet Jesus, again, [this] is not Bolognese, in Italy. If you ask for Bolognese you might end with a Mortadella slice."

A third chimed in: "Noo my friend, nooo, you got the order completely wrong, and the pancetta, I mean, wow that takes guts. I like you content my friend but this is not how you do it."

And a fourth exclaimed: "This is not an authentic Bolognese. No milk, no pancetta and no parmesan crust."

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