Bologna: our five best places to taste pasta al ragù

To find your way around, let's start with a bit of vocabulary, a prelude to a gastronomic journey through the lands of what is nicknamed "La Grassa".

Because our dear “Bolognese” spaghetti, which we have all tasted or prepared one day in our French kitchens, have no equivalent in Bologna.

To discover the dish that inspired the transalpine version, you will have to order a much more noble

.

To discover

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Let's start from the base: the

, a thin sheet of dough made of soft wheat flour and eggs, patiently stretched by hand, with a rolling pin.

Folded and folded back on itself, it is then cut (

) with a knife, hence its name.

Now let's move on to the sauce, il

, the real one, whose name derives from the French term to ragoûter, to wake up the taste.

Submitted to the Bologna Chamber of Commerce in 1982, the official recipe calls for the use of beef and pork belly, to enrich the tomato sauce, in which finely chopped onions, carrots and celery are simmering.

You don't have to be in a hurry: the

must cook for at least two hours over low heat to allow all its aromas to express themselves.

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To sublimate the fruit of so much work, there is nothing like

, pasta which has the characteristic of absorbing the sauce, unlike spaghetti, which is far too smooth and slippery.

As for the width of the

, the perfect measurement exists, also deposited at the Chamber of Commerce in 1972. To find it, calculate a 12.270 from the Torre degli Asinelli, emblematic monument of the city center, or more simply 8 millimeters.

This shows us how the Bolognese take cooking seriously, without ever losing their characteristic irony.

On the way, under the porticoes of beautiful Bologna, let's discover five addresses where

rise to the rank of art.

One last thing: to make it more local, pronounce the Italian sound

a kind of wet i - say ta-ya-té-llé.

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Trattoria Anna Maria

Trattoria Anna Maria has been a must since 1985. Trattoria Anna Maria / Photo press

Anna Marie is the name of the owner of this restaurant, located in a quiet area punctuated by porticoes under which the students of Fine Arts come and go.

His reign began in 1985, with the opening of this address destined to become an essential stopover for anyone undertaking the grand tour of

.

Over the years, the most famous and anonymous customers have left photos, messages, thanks or drawings on the walls.

A mosaic of frames that tells the story of the establishment and whets the appetite.

Above all, order a charcuterie platter, then ask for the famous

, which you will be offered classic, or green, a version whose dough is enriched with spinach.

Trattoria Anna Maria.

Via delle Belle Arti, 17/a.

40126 Bologna.

Such.

: +39 051266894.

All'Osteria Bottega

In the Osteria Bottega, traditional dishes made with good products.

Osteria Bottega / Facebook

When he opened a little over fifteen years ago, Daniele Minarelli had clear ideas: to make his restaurant a place to celebrate the excellence of local products.

In a more contemporary atmosphere, but which retains the spirit of the old

, customers savor traditional dishes made with sourced products.

As an appetizer, try the

, a product with the slow food label, or opt for a plate of the famous mortadella, a Bolognese product par excellence.

Then, of course,

or to change, a variant, the

, made without tomato coulis and made with veal.

Don't forget to book, the osteria has an excellent reputation and quickly sells out!

All'Osteria Bottega.

Via Santa Caterina, 51. 40123 Bologna.

Such.

: +39 051585111.

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Trattoria della Santa

Here, we have lunch outside in the shade of a portico.

Trattoria della Santa / Photo press

In Bologna, the gates are a blessing.

Covering most of the pedestrian spaces, they allow circulation without getting wet during the autumn rains and shelter from the sun in the summer.

Sometimes, as in this trattoria, a few tables take advantage of the shade and the coolness of the porches to allow customers to have lunch outside.

A family address, with its regular clientele of locals who know that they will enjoy fresh pasta of the day, in

sauce or in the form of excellent tortellini with walnuts and gorgonzola.

Trattoria della Santa.

Via Urbana, 7/F 40123 Bologna.

Such.

: +39 051330415.

Trattoria Da Vito

In the Cirenaica district, a sort of modern suburb built in the 1910s, the Da Vito trattoria justifies the incursion outside the walls of the old town.

The Porta San Vitale, the former Jewish Ghetto and the Santo Stefano Basilica are only a few minutes away, but already the atmosphere is changing, becoming less touristy.

The decor of the restaurant, a bit nostalgic, recalls the time when the

was the haunt of Bolognese singers, from Lucio Dalla to Francesco Guccini, a child of the neighborhood.

Ragù tagliatelle have been at the same price for years: €7.50 a plate.

A popular price that allows everyone to frequent the premises, in a joyful mix.

Trattoria Da Vito.

Via Mario Musolesi, 9a 40138 Bologna.

Such.

: +39 051349809.

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Sfoglia Rina

In a modern setting with decor that an Instagram follower would not disapprove of, this address offers an interesting concept.

In the first room, the sale of fresh pasta to take away, to cook at home.

The adjacent room has a large shared table around which to sit for lunch, and smaller intimate tables.

The products are just as fresh, and the traditional recipes at affordable prices.

Convenient and quick to taste the famous tagliatelle al ragù, or another local pasta specialty, such as tortellini, served in broth in winter when the days are freezing.

Sfoglia Rina.

Via Castiglione, 5/b 40124 Bologna.

Such.

: +39 0519911710.