The enchanting region of Emilia-Romagna, just north of Tuscany in north-central Italy, remains an under-the-radar destination for its ivy-draped castles, ancient villages, Lambrusco vineyards, and centuries-old university hub of Bologna. What most people don’t know is that many of our favorite Italian foods originated in this unassuming gastronomic region, where they’ve been celebrated for centuries. Spaghetti Bolognese? That’s just for starters—though it’s not necessarily what you think it is. Read on.

Spaghetti alla Bolognese
Perhaps one of Italy’s greatest exports, this most famous Italian dish, with its tangy, tomatoey meat sauce and long, spindly noodles, comes from the ancient city of Bologna, right? Actually, no. If you ordered spaghetti alla Bolognese in Bologna, you’d get a funny stare. What most of the world considers to be spaghetti Bolognese derives from what is more properly known as tagliatelle al ragu.