Ragù alla Bolognese
Must-SeeThe world's most famous meat sauce — minced beef/pork, soffritto, tomato, wine, milk, slow-cooked 3+ hours. Served on tagliatelle (NEVER spaghetti). Bologna's sacred recipe.
Pesto alla Genovese
Must-SeeBasil DOP, pine nuts, Parmigiano, Pecorino Fiore Sardo, Ligurian olive oil, garlic. Pounded in a marble mortar. Served on trofie or trenette. No cream. No cooking.
Amatriciana
Must-SeeGuanciale (cured pork cheek), pecorino Romano, tomato, peperoncino. On bucatini or rigatoni. No onion in the original. A Roman holy trinity dish.
Cacio e Pepe
Must-SeePecorino Romano and black pepper — that's it. The simplest and hardest sauce to make perfectly. The emulsion of cheese, pepper, and pasta water is alchemy.
Puttanesca
Must-SeeTomato, olives, capers, anchovies, garlic, peperoncino. Assertive, salty, addictive. Named after ladies of the night (allegedly). On spaghetti.
Where to start
Start with the classics, then explore regional variations. Italian sauces rewards the curious and the hungry.