Bologna Food and Travel Guide: Tagliatelle al Ragù and Tortellini

Bologna, nicknamed la grassa (the fat one), is the rich, golden heart of Italian cooking. This is the land of fresh egg pasta, slow-simmered meat sauces and cured pork. Forget what you know as "spaghetti bolognese": the real local dish is tagliatelle al ragù, ribbons of pasta coated in a deep, long-cooked meat sauce that has nothing to do with the international imitation.

What to eat

• Tagliatelle al ragù — fresh egg pasta with the authentic Bolognese meat sauce.
• Tortellini in brodo — tiny stuffed pasta served in a clear, rich capon broth.
• Mortadella — the silky, pistachio-flecked cured pork that inspired American baloney.
• Lasagne alla bolognese — layered with ragù, béchamel and Parmigiano.
• Tigelle and crescentine — warm breads served with cured meats and soft cheeses.

Where to go

The Quadrilatero, the medieval market quarter near Piazza Maggiore, is a warren of food shops, salumerie and stalls where you can buy fresh pasta, taste cured meats and grab an aperitivo. For a sit-down meal, look for a traditional trattoria or osteria on the side streets, away from the main tourist drag.

A practical ordering tip: the best trattorias change their offerings with the season and may have a short handwritten menu, so trust the daily specials, and remember a coperto (cover charge) is normal and added per person.

A useful thing to know: many of Bologna's family-run osterie write their menus only in Italian, sometimes by hand and only in the local dialect for certain dishes, so photographing the menu to translate it helps you order the genuine pasta you came for.

Slow down, order the fresh pasta, and taste why Bologna is considered Italy's culinary capital.