A Taste of Bologna: Discovering Authentic Emilia-Romagna Cuisine

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

WHAT TO EAT IN BOLOGNA

Guide to Emilia-Romagna Gastronomy and Cuisine: Read more

Regional Cuisine:

Ferrara, Forlí-Cesena, Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Ravenna, Reggio Emilia, Rimini

Emilia Romagna Wine Tour

Explore the rich tastes of Emilia Romagna on a gourmet journey. Enjoy exclusive wine tastings and artisanal cuisine. Book now!

Read more

Balanzoni

Balanzoni is another Bolognese pasta prepared with spinach. The green dough is used to make tortellini filled with ricotta, spinach, eggs, Parmigiano Reggiano, and mortadella and is typically served with butter and sage sauce. The name for this pasta was inspired by the hat of Dr. Balanzone, Bologna’s carnival mascot.

Gramigna con Salsiccia

For another authentic pasta dish in Bologna, look to gramigna con salsiccia. This unique, curly-shaped pasta is served with a ragù made from pork sausage, tomatoes, and wine. To serve, Parmigiano Reggiano tops gramigna con salsiccia for a savory dish representative of the region.

Lasagne alla Bolognese

Lasagne, one of the world’s most beloved pasta dishes, originated in Bologna. This baked pasta dish is made by layering wide, flat egg lasagna pasta with ragù alla Bolognese, béchamel sauce, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. The dish is baked until the pasta is tender and the cheese and béchamel on top are beautifully browned. Additionally, there’s lasagna verde alla Bolognese for a unique take on this Italian classic. This version makes the lasagna pasta with spinach, resulting in a vibrantly green-colored pasta.

Mortadella di Bologna

Mortadella production in Bologna officially dates back to 1661 when Cardinal Girolamo Farnese formally proclaimed production standards for this opulent salami. Since 1998, this cured pork delicacy has been produced under Protected Geographic Indication.

Mortadella is made with the meat and fat from the pigs’ throat; the meat is ground and mixed with the diced fat. The mixture is heated, washed in water, processed, placed in a natural or synthetic casing, and cooked.

Passatelli in Brodo

Also common in Ravenna and the traditional food of Emilia-Romagna, passatelli in brodo was created in peasant kitchens years ago. They developed passatelli to utilize the limited ingredients available at the time. These are dumplings made from cheese, bread, and eggs served in a flavorful meat broth.

Ragù alla Bolognese

Regarding Emilia-Romagna’s food, ragù alla Bolognese has had the most far-reaching impact. This ragù is the inspiration behind the Italian-American version of spaghetti bolognese. However, you’ll never find ragù alla bolognese served with spaghetti in Bologna. Instead, tagliatelle alla Bolognese is more authentic to the region. The more comprehensive and rough (thanks to using a wooden rolling pin) egg-based pasta noodles are ideal for sopping up this rich sauce.

Ragù alla Bolognese is made with beef, pork, and sometimes veal. The meat is slowly simmered with tomato, wine, a splash of milk, broth, celery, carrot, and onion for a hearty, flavorful sauce.

Zuppa Imperiale

For a classic soup in Bologna, enjoy zuppa imperiale. The main ingredients are semolina dough made with eggs, butter, Parmigiano cheese, and nutmeg; baked until fluffy, cubed, and then served in a flavorful meat-based brodo (broth). Krinofel, a similar Austrian soup, is thought to have inspired zuppa imperiale. The soup was brought to Emilia-Romagna by Marie Louise, the Duchess of Parma. She was the first wife of Emperor Napoleon I.