Mimi says: “Spaghetti bolognese, the most famous dish in the world, doesn’t really exist. Well, at least not in Bologna. The mayor of Bologna got so tired of this misunderstanding recently that he took to the media to wash his hands of the spaghetti connection, for in Bologna, ragù is served with tagliatelle, which, along with tortellini and lasagne, are the best known pastas of Emilia-Romagna.

“Ragù (meat sauce) originally comes from Bologna and this is undisputed. There is even an official version of this most famous of sauces, but many cooks, even in the ragù’s hometown, apply their own twist. A lot of work and time has gone into research: I’ve tried countless wonderful versions, and all the really good ones are quite similar but with subtle differences. One chef includes liver in the sauce, which makes it more gamy; another uses a lot of liquid and reduces like crazy until he has the desired consistency.

“But the one I loved the most is very true to the original recipe. No particular tricks, just a respect for tradition, great ingredients, and thoughtful execution.”

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large celery stalk, finely chopped
1 tsp oregano
230g pork shoulder mince
300g beef mince
160ml red wine
500ml tomato passata
4 tsp tomato paste
250ml beef stock, plus more if needed
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
500g tagliatelle pasta, fresh or dried
grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Method

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrot, onion, celery, and oregano. Cook until slightly coloured, about 5 minutes. Add the pork and cook until browned, then add the beef and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Add the red wine and cook for 2 minutes to reduce.

Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the tomato passata and tomato paste. Add the beef stock and stir well until the tomato paste is incorporated. Season with salt and black pepper. Reduce the heat to as low as possible. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, adding a few tablespoons of beef stock if the mixture looks a little dry, until you get a smooth and rich sauce, about 3 hours.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the tagliatelle to the boiling water and cook to al dente according to the package directions. Drain the pasta, toss into the ragù sauce, and mix gently to combine. Serve immediately with grated parmesan.

3 authentic pasta recipes for a comforting Italian feast – from cacio e pepe to ragù bolognese