Spaghetti bolognese may be a beloved staple in many British households, but it seems we’ve been missing the mark on authenticity. Despite not being a native British dish, it’s become a classic dinner time favourite across the nation, with many Brits swearing by their mum’s version.
However, before you start boasting about your bolognese to an Italian, chef Sophie Nahmad from recipe box service Gousto has some news for you – we’ve all been getting it wrong. The cardinal sin? Using spaghetti. According to Sophie, the most authentic pasta shape for a true bolognese is tagliatelle.
This wider, flatter pasta allows the meaty sauce to cling more easily, enhancing every bite. “Fresh Tagliatelle is delicious and oh so satisfying to twirl onto your fork when you’re tucking into your dinner,” she explained. Due to the wider shape, it’s a great pasta to pair with a thick, meat-based sauce.
In fact, Italians traditionally pair tagliatelle with bolognese sauce instead of spaghetti!” Sophie suggests that any meat-based ragu-style sauce pairs well with this type of pasta, such as a spicy sausage and creamy tomato sauce.
So, perhaps it’s time to shake up your dinner time traditions and give tagliatelle bolognese a whirl.
Who knows, it might just become the new family favourite. Fancy a bowl of Tag Bol, anyone?
So, next time you’re stocking up for your spag bol feast, consider swapping spaghetti for tagliatelle. The slim, cylindrical form and slick surface of spaghetti don’t quite cut it when it comes to clinging onto the sauce. And Sophie isn’t the only one championing this pasta switcheroo.
Italian cuisine maestro, Chef Antonio Carluccio, famously declared that “bolognese sauce should never be served with spaghetti. It should be with tagliatelle”.
If you’re hankering after a spaghetti dish, Sophie suggests whipping up a pesto or any other non-tomato-based sauce. Sophie said: “While many of you might have just learned you’ve been using it wrong your entire lives, it wouldn’t be a pasta round up without a mention of Spaghetti.
“This is the nation’s second favourite pasta shape after Fusilli, and a staple you’ll find in most UK kitchens.
“When it comes to any long noodle pasta shape, including varieties such as Linguini or Capellini, it’s best to stick to lighter sauces.
“A simple pesto or arrabbiata sauce are the best choices for these shapes.”
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