The story
Tagliatelle al ragù is the signature dish of Bologna, the city whose name the world borrowed for spaghetti bolognese, a pairing locals reject. Italian meat ragùs were inspired by the French ragout fashionable in the 18th century. The earliest known recipe for ragù served with pasta comes from Alberto Alvisi, a cook in nearby Imola, in the late 1700s, and Pellegrino Artusi published a Bolognese version in 1891. In 1982 the Accademia Italiana della Cucina filed a 'classic' recipe of slow-cooked beef, pancetta, soffritto, tomato, wine and milk with Bologna's chamber of commerce, updating it in 2023. Locals serve it on fresh egg tagliatelle.
Rival claims
The earliest known recipe for ragù served with pasta comes from Imola, about 35 km away (late 18th century).
Also known as ragù alla bolognese, Bolognese sauce, tagliatelle alla bolognese, spaghetti bolognese.
On the Meridish menu
Tagliatelle al ragù was the rice & noodles course on menu No. 12 on October 12, 2026. Its clue in the game, which hints at the place without naming it:
A slow-simmered meat sauce on ribbons of fresh egg pasta, never spaghetti. A 'classic' recipe was officially filed with this city's chamber of commerce in 1982.
In Meridish, every dish is pinned to the town or city most widely credited with creating it. A guess within 25 km scores all 100 points. How scoring works.
Sources
Food history is often disputed. Think we've pinned it in the wrong place? Tell us at hello@meridish.com, ideally with a source.
