One in five Britons believe they make spaghetti bolognese better than Italians
Italians are famously passionate about their food, so the results of this new survey is sure to rile them up, after one in five Britons claimed they make spaghetti bolognese better than they do.
The comforting pasta dish is hugely popular in the UK and is cooked an estimated 500 million times a year, making it one of the most cooked dishes in the country.
But despite its ubiquitous nature, nearly two-thirds of respondents said British spaghetti bolognese is bland or boring (63%), and one in 10 admitted they do not know the best way to add flavour to the dish.
In a bid to make their sauce more interesting, British home cooks like putting their own twist on the Italian classic.
A survey conducted by Knorr found that a number of Britons admitted to adding some unusual ingredients to their bolognese to add extra flavour.
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Traditionally, spaghetti bolognese is made with onions, celery, carrots, minced beef, fatty pork (such as pancetta or bacon), chopped tomatoes and wine.
However, respondents to Knorr’s survey said they also liked to add the following ingredients to their pots:
Mushrooms (31%)
Stock (23%)
Chili powder (16%)
Soy sauce (11%)
Gravy (8%)
Courgettes (7%)
Baked beans (6%)
Olives (5%)
Pesto (5%)
Chocolate (4%)
Contrary to the name of the dish, traditional bolognese sauce is eaten with tagliatelle instead of spaghetti. But spaghetti remains the most preferred (61%) pasta shape among UK households, followed by shorter shapes like fusilli and penne.
Although Italians may find the addition of these ingredients sacrilegious, there is some common ground to be found with Brits.
Just like many Italians speak of recipes being passed down through generations, more than a third (35%) of UK home cooks use a family recipe for their version of spaghetti bolognese, with almost half (44%) reminiscing about how they were taught to make their first dish by a family member.
Last year, research by cookware brand Circulon also found that spaghetti bolognese was one of the most popular home-cooked meals in the UK. Their poll found that the UK's top 10 favourite home-cooked dishes included:
Roast dinner (15%)
Spaghetti bolognese (8%)
Pizza (8%)
Fish and chips (5%)
Homemade curry (5%)
Sausage and mash (4%)
Shepherd's pie (4%)
Chicken nuggets, chips and beans (3%)
Chili con carne (3%)
Pasta bake (3%)
Circulon's research also showed that most UK adults enjoy cooking from scratch, with 84% saying they did so at least once a week and more than a fifth (24%) cooking at home most days of the week.
The Hairy Bikers stars David Myers and Si King have teamed up with Knorr to encourage Britons to share their recipes for a chance to be crowned Britain’s Best Spag Bol.
Myers, who nicknamed the dish "Spag Bog", said: "There will be some vital things we’ll be looking for in the winning recipe - whether that’s with a unique ingredient or a family recipe that’s been passed down through generations. We want the dish to have that perfect balance between flavour and originality."
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King added that he swears by adding Knorr beef stock in his sauce as well as a rind of parmesan cheese as it simmers.
"Together they add cracking flavour to the dish and always have me going back for seconds. I’m excited to see the interesting ways Brits like to make their spag bols and can’t wait to taste all the different variations of the dish."
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