Ragù di carne (bolognese)
(Bolognese meat sauce)
While most Italian recipes represent the foods and traditions of one town or region, this one from Le Marche has elements of Italian cooking from various parts of the country and is a good example of how Italy's cooking changed when it became a nation in 1861. The central Italian region of Le Marche is a crossroads that uses typical flavors of north, central and southern Italy. The reason for this is that Le Marche, until Italian unification, were papal lands that belonged to the Vatican but were also traversed by people traveling north and south on the Italian peninsula. This recipe uses veal and pork (found in northern and central Italian cooking), chicken livers (most common in central Italy) and tomatoes, the iconic flavor of the south. The grated cheese of choice is pecorino romano, very much part of the tradition of southern Italy. Despite the name, maccheroncelli (the pasta used here) is not macaroni used in southern Italy, but thin egg noodles. You can skip the effort of making these, if you wish, and purchase a good Italian brand of dried egg pasta such as tagliatelle or tagliolini.
I visited Georges Blanc, an unpretentious riverside restaurant in Vonnas, a small town in southern Burgundy, just days after the Michelin Guide had elevated the establishment to three-star status. The place was understandably in a state of excitement. I feel in love with a chicken mousseline I had that night. Blanc had transformed a simple chicken mousse into a truly ethereal concoction. The main ingredient was perfect blond livers from prized Bresse chickens, which were raised a stone's throw from the restaurant.