An introduction, an ancient road, the journey through Emilia Romagna begins!
It all begins with an idea.
“ il Piacere Continua” the pleasure continues
AUG 21, 2023
Due Torri-Torre degli Asinelli e Garisenda are symbols of Bologna, ... at the point where the ancient Via Emilia (Aemilian Way) entered the city.
Via Emilia is the ancient road carved out by the Romans in 187 BC stretching from Rimini on the Adriatic coast to Piacenza on the River Po. It was built to establish new colonies-Bologna ( pictured) , Modena, Reggio Emilia and Parma through the newly conquered territory.
I of course will be doing nothing like that! My goal is to share as much of my journey, from the past, to the present, and the future throughout this wonderful, rich fertile food valley that I’ve come to know and love!-Emilia-Romagna.
I was born in Australia, lived and went to culinary school in NYC, moved to North Carolina where I owned a successful Salumeria, and now I’m traveling and immersing myself in Emilia Romagna and writing this newsletter about my experiences, restaurant recommendations, reviews, traditions, history, travel stories and of course Cucina Emiliano! 🐖
This isn’t my first time writing, many moons ago I wrote a blog in 2010 dmanburger.wordpress.com about the quest for the best burger in one of the most notable food cities in the world, even manage to get published a few times nymag.com/author/darren-atkins
But I’m putting down the burgers this time and picking up salumi, prosciutto, gnocco fritto, tagliatelle al ragù, friggione, stracchino and parmigiano reggiano Vacca Bianca Modenese from Rosola Caseificio.
Al Regno Della Forma-Bologna
Tagliatelle 100% Bolognese Amerigo 1934-Savigno
Trattoria Cognento-Campagnola Emilia
During my journey through Emilia Romagna, I discover Terre di Castelli, the Lands of Castles. A terrain nestled between the lowlands of Emilia to the hills and peaks of the Apennines, located in the province of Modena, where it the borders the province of Bologna. This area comprises of eight towns belonging to the Unione di Castelli. Each town offers a unique gastronomic and cultural experience…..Join me!
Iniziamo un viaggio!
-Darren
an experience in Valsamoggia, the star of Emilia Romagna-Michelin style!
a star in Savigno
a stage at Amerigo 1934 in Savigno
OCT 15, 2023
As I sped along the SP 26 in my midnight blue Audi rental -through the Colli Bolognesi, excitedly winding the turns, climbing the steep ascents, the hairpins turning back on themselves, dramatic descents through the magical pignoletto vineyards. I’m alive. I’m alive in Valsamoggia.
Valsamoggia is a relatively new named commune incorporating several surrounding towns in an area between Bologna and Modena. The rolling hills, capture the colors of the Fall, the emerald green grass, the light shimmering off sunburst orange roof tops, the azure blue sky, you can feel the brilliance emerging from the food valley.
There is brilliance everywhere here.
The food: Amerigo 1934, a small trattoria, bottega and locanda nestled in the town famous for white truffles during the October months-Savigno.
As a cook and a chef, enamored with Italy I’ve dreamt of working here, but never did I expect to work/stage at a Michelin star restaurant.
Amerigo many years ago in 1934, I found out about this restaurant years ago by reading a story about it. I was determined to experience the day in the life moments of one of the most important gastronomic points of reference in the valley.
I arrived the first time at Amerigo, back in 2021, and again in 2022 for dinner. The restaurant is at the end of the main strada, a mini piazza circles the town creating the quintessential convivial feeI that we love about Italy. The atmosphere inside the restaurant is quiet and intimate, wooden antique tables, richly colored curtains, white tiles, the coolest espresso bar and historical collectibles adorn the space. A friend from Bologna and I sat outside on the smaller tables overlooking the street. We anxiously looked over the 3 page menu in awe of the seasonal and locally sourced ingredients that were throughout. After some great indecisiveness I settled on the seasonal menu which happened to be Summer-“Estate
First was the upside down cake with yellow tomatoes, sweet, delicate with a hint of acidity. The potato gnocchi were pillows of truffle heaven showered with scorzone black truffles sourced meters away. Moving on to secondi-the Apennine Fallow deer leg excelled, lightly smoked with cherry wood-accompanied with tubers, wild mushrooms and plants from the surrounding hills. Rounding out the night was a simple gelato drizzled with aceto balsamico tradizionale. Simple and a delight. There was nothing more pleasing and inspiring than this dinner.
I knew that I wanted to learn from these superstars in this kitchen, I wanted to learn everything I could the chef and team there at Amerigo. I needed to contact Chef Alberto Bettini and stop wasting time.
I private messaged Chef Bettini through Instagram-a little forward but. I politely asked for a chance to work alongside him and his team. Thankfully he accepted!
After several other stages in Italy the time had come to start at Amerigo. My first day as visiting chef working in the kitchen of Amerigo was preparing the biscotti, dolci and the crostate for the small amount of hotel guests that are staying in their boutique hotel nearby the restaurant. My trusted teacher is Claudia, a strong willed Bolognese woman with the patience of Saint and a heart gold. The other “squadra” Giacomo, Maria, Roberto ( Drago) and Alessio make up the team in the kitchen, Luca in the front, and Roberta ( the sfoglina) making the pasta fatto a mano.
After a couple of days with Claudia learning the intricate and delectable biscotti, dolci pane and gelati, Wednesday was upon us. Pasta day!
Roberta handles the mattarello with grace and confidence, like most women here she learned from her grandmother. Anna is here too, a local lady with a tough exterior, infectious laugh and friendly smile. I liked her instantly. Together they talked, I listened, gossip was heavy, there was laughter, expression, strength and excitement. All around a couple of tables at the front of the restaurant, we made tagliatelle, ravioli ( di friggione), tortelli ripieni di parmigiano reggiano con prosciutto di mora romagnola-a rare and extremely tasty ham made from the breed Mora Romagnola pigs- gnocchi and tortellini.
Thursday more prep, caprino ( baby goat), making alchermes, Lambrusco gelato, tigelle, ragù, friggione, calzagatti, veal cheeks braised in Barolo, the brodo for the tortellini, bacala, sfoglia lorda-a stuffed pasta with potatoes, and morels.
The kitchen was as organized and smooth running as anything I’ve ever seen. There was no stress, no arguments, no tension. Everything was executed with ease and passion. Service was flawless and quick, chefs were talking, everyone relaxed, no smack talk even! -“was this really a kitchen”? I asked myself, or some kind of zen get together of cooks. I loved every minute.
On my day off, an experience of ultimate proportion was graciously planned for me by Chef Bettini. A private tour of Rosola, a unique cheese dairy-the only one of its kind-producing the extremely high quality Vacca Bianca Modenese parmigiano reggiano in the hills of Zocca. It was here that would imprint an unforgettable moment in my life that I will remember always. The day continued with visits to Ca’lumaco a prosciuttificio producing hams & other salumi from the Mora Romagnola pigs, aged up to 4 years and the stunningly beautiful Corte d’aibo-an agriturismo and organic winery in the heart of the protected Regional Park of the Abbey of Monteveglio-in the hills a few kilometers from Bologna.
These places are just a few of Amerigo’s sources. I fell in love with Valsamoggia. I’m hooked! Looking forward to the future. More to come. Sent from my iPad
No! we don’t serve Spaghetti Bolognese here. This is Bologna, Italy.
“80 percent of Italian cooking is about getting the best ingredients the other 20 percent is about not fucking them up!” Evan Funke
JAN 07, 2024
What is Italian food? No it’s not Chicken Alfredo, garlic knots or Chicken parmigiana! It’s not Parmesan! it’s Par-mi-gian-o Reggi-a-no (as a knowledgeable and humorous friend always says) Not to be unkind to the people that think that is, but it’s NOT Italian food!
Italian food is obsessively seasonal, deeply local and regional. The food in Italy is based on traditions and rituals. What Italians eat in April, they don’t eat in December. What Italians eat for Easter, they don’t eat for Christmas. It’s not unusual, many countries have traditions and rituals relating to food, but here it feels more amplified more praised. Recipes here and are different depending on where you are and who taught you-It’s what your Nonna, Mamma or Zia used to do.
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Talking about recipes for instance in Bologna is sometimes touchy subject. I was having a conversation about a recipe for a ragù with three people, two girls from Bologna, a guy from Ravenna and another girl from Naples. It’s worth pointing out the girl from Naples had lived in Bologna most of her adult life. The answers were so different, and they have a hint of aggression in their answers and a snarky remark to each other’s less than traditional approach to the recipe, with outbursts like “cosa fai con il ragù? “( what are you doing to that ragù) the old saying goes opinions are like…….fill in the blank.
Tagliatelle al ragù ( Trattoria da me)
The one answer that never changes is-if you ask any Italian where can I get the best Tagliatelle al ragù? The answer is always “ mia mamma”! ( my mother)
Food is not just a need of nourishment here, it’s an obsession, every one it seems here cares about what they buy, where it came from, and who made it. It doesn’t matter whether you’re rich or poor everyone here cares about food in some way or another. Sure there are grocery store chains like elsewhere, but even the quality at those places are way more exceptional than their counterparts in America. In Emilia Romagna, especially in the country, even if your on a budget you can eat well, small osterie serving up Gramigna alla salsiccia, Tortelloni burro e salvia and Passatelli for 7.50€ is a deal! Not to mention-salumi e formaggi. And believe me it’s better than some restaurants three times the price. Simplicity at its best.
I’m an Australian American chef living in Bologna, and yes I like to eat! I love going to new restaurants and trying an individual or families version of a classic dish.
Tagliatelle al ragù, the quintessential bowl of pasta of Bologna, handmade pasta rolled out by hand every morning into a sfoglia (a large thin oval of pasta) folded over and over and cut but hand into precise ribbons, boiled till tender in salted water, tossed with a heavenly hearty sauce and showered with parmigiano reggiano-its a thing of beauty.
My personality is obsessive, especially when it comes to food, I’ve traveled around and tasted a myriad of Tagliatelle al ragù all over Emilia Romagna, let’s start with La Baita Malga a Salumeria right in the heart of the tourist craziness that is the quadrilatero, a section of Bologna where the most delicious salumi and formaggi are paraded on the street just waiting to be sampled. On a rainy night I sat perched at an outside table trying not to let droplets of water drip into my Tagliatelle al ragù, for 11.50€ this bowl of pasta satisfied.
The earliest recipe for a ragù served with pasta is said to have comes from the 18th century in Imola, near Bologna, from Alberto Alvisi, cook of the local Cardinal
A ragù is essentially a meat sauce made up of beef and or pork, soffrito ( onions, celery, carrots) sometimes milk, either white or red wine, stock and prosciutto, or pancetta, passata, no garlic, no herbs. However this is where it gets varied, even adding liver or dried mushrooms as in the case of original recipe by Pellegrino Artusi is locked away in Forlimpopoli, a small town in the province of Forlì-Cesana.
But there’s some contradictions, as far as the Bolognese are concerned : the official recipe for tagliatelle al ragù Bolognese was registered in the Bologna Chamber of Commerce, in 1982 not with Artusi including exact measurements.
The width of the tagliatelle, 7mm apparently correspond to 12270th part of the Aisinelli Tower ( its sister Garisenda is scarily leaning right now) the iconic symbols of the city.
Interestingly at Amerigo my alum of sorts, Chef Albert Bettini and his competent squadra make the ragù know as 100% the meat comes from the stomach muscles of Vacca Bianca cows and parts of the Mora Romagnola pigs, a soffrito, white wine and passata. The pasta, made by Roberta or Anna is made from a specially ground intergrale farina from 16th century flour mill il Mulino Dottore up the road from them. The tagliatelle is speedily rolled out by Roberta and tossed ever so delicately in a pan with a touch of butter. No parmigiano reggiano until the very end. This ragù is very different rich, robust and impossible to stop eating once you’ve started.
Bologna, especially is scattered with family owned trattorie and osterie seeing this signature plate. Some excellent, some lackluster.
One of my absolute favorites here in Bologna is Grassilli, a tiny elegant trattoria where I was sat in the quaint cobblestone alley way and served a piccolo salumi misti and the immensely flavorful tagliatelle al ragù. Call ahead it’s always “completa” as the hand written sign says our front!
The tagliatelle al ragù at Trattoria da me also is memorable. I’ve had it many times.
An easy visit is Salsamentaria, on Via Altabella. Almost always guaranteed of a seat with joyful staff and a pleasant tagliatelle al ragù.
Osteria del Podestà an uncomfortably small place right on the man street in the quadrilatero swarming with tourists a tried to enjoy a signature bowl of their ragù outside in the bitter cold one night, the salumi misti that accompanied was better.
On yet another rainy night in Bologna, I visited La Trattoria del Tempo Buono, I ordered the tagliatelle al ragù, this night I felt privileged to be sitting their after being shut out 3 nights in a row for a table for one. La Trattoria del Tempo Buono is a modern contemporary restaurant in Piazza S. Martino with exposed roof beams, brown paper and red checked table cloths, and atmospheric lighting. I was apprehensive, and hopeful but their ragù didn’t disappoint it was lovely rich and luscious. Bravissimo!
If you’re looking for an inexpensive Tagliatelle al ragù, go for Trattoria Mariposa, cozy place ( 9.50 € )or Trattoria il Pellegrino (8.50€) in Murri-just outside the center-they will do its best to satisfy.
Remarkably the place with the biggest line for pasta in Bologna, is Sfogliarina a neat shop right in the center overcrowded with people desperate to get a seat inside and try some of their pasta specialties. Their Tagliatelle al ragù is respectable at 9 € but for me not worth the wait in line. Their other pastas are a little more interesting.
Trattoria Osteria Buca Manzoni, is another traditional place tucked away in a side street-Via Manzoni. Friendly staff, outdated decor, but terrific ragù, could not be better for the belly.
The peaks and valleys of my tagliatelle al ragù eating are slight gradient. Compared to most pasta in America, all of these places are worlds away in quality. But this Bologna, where Italians come to eat. My gluttonous odyssey of eating this signature pasta and meat sauce pairing was always just an overview and a glimpse what’s available at all the amazing food temples there are here. If you’re here for the first time relax and take it all in you’re in Bologna, you’re in Italy. This is not the time to take the Burger King mentality. You can’t “have it your way” No spaghetti! Surrender to Tagliatelle for your “Bolognese sauce”.