Food writer shares 'easy' Bolognese recipe - but Italians say it's 'completely wrong'

A UK food writer has faced criticism after sharing his version of a 'traditional' Bolognese recipe, with many claiming it's not authentically Italian. Adam Pollock took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share his simple method for creating the iconic pasta dish.

He posted step-by-step images and instructions, stating: "Bolognese is the most iconic Italian pasta dish, and it tastes so beautiful. Fortunately, it's very easy to make!".

Despite outlining the ingredients and cooking process in detail, he received a mixed response. While some followers were eager to try his recipe, others pointed out inaccuracies in both the ingredients and serving method.

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The Bolognese sauce, often considered an Italian staple in the UK due to its affordability and simplicity, is actually referred to as ragu alla Bolognese or simply ragu in Italy.

Italian followers were quick to correct Pollock's recipe. One user named Elena responded: "Many mistakes! 1) Vegetables ( no garlic ) are fried before to add beef +pork minced meat ( 3/1) No pancetta ! when meat is cooked add wine, let dry, then tomato passata ( no tomatoes pieces or paste ). Gently cook at lowest power for 3 hours with a lid and stir it", reports Nottinghamshire Live.

Valerio criticised the recipe, stating: "You're using too much carrot, onion and celery: the proportions are completely wrong, you're doing a vegetable ragu with a hint of meat. And by the way both garlic and parsley are a crime."

Guido chimed in, saying: "Sweet Jesus, again, it's not Bolognese, in Italy. If you ask for Bolognese you might end up with a Mortadella slice. It's called 'Ragu alla Bolognese'."

Pietro added his thoughts: "This is not an authentic bolognese. No milk, no pancetta and no parmesan crust."

Thomas also weighed in, saying: "Although this looks delicious, bolognese doesn't really exist in Italian cuisine. A bit like tikka masala doesn't exist in India. There is pasta Ragu. But that's rather different."

Maria voiced her opinion: "Please do not say this is an Italian dish. It is probably tasty, but Bolognese sauce does not exist in Italy and Ragu differs from your recipe."

Ellef agreed, saying: "No. This is plain wrong. The vegetables, 'sofrito', goes in first. And no garlic! ! ! ".

Giacomo concurred, saying: "Noo my friend nooo you got the order completely wrong, and the pancetta, I mean, wow, that takes guts. I like your content my friend but this is not how you do it."

Adam, a food writer and photographer based in Northern Ireland, has written three food books. His latest is called Sustenance and is available from Amazon.

In response to the criticism, he defended his recipe, telling objectors that he was sharing "the official" one. He further explained that what is "viewed as 'tradition' differs a lot between places and times".

But not everyone was critical of Adam's version of the dish, with numerous followers eager to try out his Bolognese recipe. Mimi was enticed, commenting: "Mouth watering! " Mary shared her enthusiasm, saying: "This looks divine, I was using a similar recipe but didn't realise it needed to be cooked for so long, also love the tip about the cheese rind."

Zmus made up their mind, stating: "That's settled then. I'm making Bolognese tonight."

Adam's Bolognese Recipe.

Ingredients:.

Method:.

Start by heating a little olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and cook the pancetta until done. Follow this by adding the beef, breaking it down as much as possible during cooking.

Pour in about 100ml of wine red or white, and it doesn't have to be expensive, just avoid overly sweet varieties. Allow the mixture to simmer until the alcohol has evaporated, which should take around 10 minutes.

Then add the carrot, celery, and onion along with a generous pinch of salt, mixing well. Cook until the onions are translucent and the aroma is inviting, roughly 12 minutes.

Add the garlic and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.

Once the vegetables are fragrant, stir in approximately a tablespoon of tomato paste, ensuring it's fully integrated with the meat and vegetables, and cook for two minutes.

Finally, add a can of peeled plum tomatoes. Rinse the can with a bit of water and add that to the pot too no need to waste!

Crush any large pieces of tomato, mix thoroughly, and let it all cook for an additional two minutes.

Next, pour in approximately 250ml of high-quality beef or chicken stock and stir. You don't want an excessive amount of liquid, just enough to allow the flavours to meld.

After adding the stock, reduce the heat to low.

Following this, add your bay leaves. If you have any leftover rinds from Italian hard cheese, toss these in as well for added flavour.

Now, it's crucial to let it simmer!

Check on your dish every half hour and give it a stir, but it needs time to develop its flavours.

After simmering for a couple of hours on low heat, your sauce should have thickened to the desired consistency. Remove the bay leaves and cheese rind.

Fill another pot with water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add your pasta.

Traditional bolognese is made with fresh egg pasta, but dried pasta works well too.

As your pasta nears the end of its cooking time, take a mug and scoop up a bit of the pasta water. This will aid in emulsifying the sauce shortly.

Once the pasta is cooked, remove everything from the heat. Drain the pasta before returning it to the saucepan.

Then, add a few ladles of the meat sauce, a splash of the reserved pasta water, and mix everything thoroughly together. Well done!

You're now ready to serve!

Dish up into warmed bowls, top with some freshly grated parmesan and perhaps a sprinkle of parsley if you wish. Bon appetit!