The typical dishes of Bologna are lasagna, tortellini and spaghetti bolognese. But the latter is not what most people think it is. All over the world people imagine spaghetti bolognese with a meat ragù. But that’s wrong. Because the real traditional dish of the city is actually spaghetti with tuna and tomato. The Accademia Italiana della Cucina officially clarified this after years of controversy.
Retracing history
After a long and thorough study of oral histories, written documents, poems, stories and ancient recipe books, the Accademia has reconstructed the birth and spread of this dish from the beginning of the 20th century, when the marketing of tuna in oil began and spaghetti also began to be distributed in the north of Italy. Then, the success of this preparation grew quickly because it didn’t require particularly expensive ingredients and addressed Catholics’ need to not eat meat on Fridays.
The recipe: Spaghetti alla Bolognese (with tuna)
The official recipe agreed upon at the end of the study was filed at the Chamber of Commerce of Bologna (together with 29 other traditional recipes of the city) finally ending the debate. So if you want to try the authentic spaghetti bolognese recipe (serves 4), here it is:
Ingredients:
12 oz spaghetti
6 oz good quality tuna in oil
1 red onion of normal size (possibly from Medicina)
24 oz fresh tomatoes (or a 14 oz can of peeled tomatoes)
Salt and oil to taste
Method:
Cut the onion into very thin slices and brown in oil until it becomes transparent. Add the tomatoes, peeled and cut into pieces, and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, until they are completely blended. 10 minutes before they are done, add the drained tuna, crumbled into coarse pieces. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti al dente and mix with the sauce after draining them.
Possible alternatives
Two variations are allowed by the traditional recipe: the addition of anchovies (also with onions) or parsley (to be sprinkled on the pasta at the end).