From the April issue of Saveur Magazine…
- This month’s issue of Saveur explores the numerous variations on ragu sauce that can be found in Bologna, Italy. A traditional ragu alla bolognese usually consists of “battuto – the foundation of almost every soup, sauce, and stew in the Italian canon – by slowly cooking finely chopped celery, onions, and carrots in butter, olive oil, lard, pancetta, or a combination thereof.”
- According to the Accademia Italiana della Cucina, the official recipe for classic ragu alla bolognese is one that starts with a 5 ounce piece of pancetta.
- Ragu di Fegato di Pollo (Ragu Enriched with Chicken Livers) also gets its flavor from pancetta.
- Anna Nanni’s Ragu alla Bolognese is seasoned with pancetta and is “slightly tangy, owing to the addition of canned tomatoes.” A recipe for Lasagne Verdi al Forno suggests using Anna Nanni’s ragu for the sauce.
- Anna Maria Monari, chef-owner of Trattoria Anna Maria in Bologna, makes a ragu that “always includes lard from pork and pancetta.”
- Last, in a story from Queens, New York about a Russian dinner party inspired by 19th Century St. Petersburg aristocracy, Borscht – a classic beet soup flavored with smoked bacon – is a featured dish.