The Delectable Ingredient You Didn't Know Your Bolognese Was Missing

A batch of bolognese is supposed to be an interesting mix of textures and flavors. In every bite you have aromatic onion and garlic, bits of carrots and celery, ground beef and pork, and, of course, tomatoes. It's supposed to taste rich and meaty, sweet, and a little bit tangy, with earthy notes that come from herbs like oregano. When done right, the sauce takes a while to make, simmering for at least three hours in many cases. That gives it enough time to make your whole house smell delicious. It's a comfort meal, especially when you pair your bolognese sauce with pasta and wine like pappardelle ribbons and a solid Barolo red.

While there are many tips for making homemade pasta sauce, the balance of flavors is key. And it turns out that you can balance out an off-kilter bolognese with a few squares of dark chocolate (70 percent cacao or higher). Because the fact is, bolognese doesn't always come out with a perfect blend of hearty, fresh, and savory flavors. Sometimes the sauce can be flat, lackluster, and frankly unsatisfying. Other times, a bolognese hits you like a tart ton of tomatoes with an overly bright flavor that even fresh basil can't calm. 

In either instance, it's missing something — a key ingredient to balance out some flavors and bring others to life. In many cases, it needs a little bit of something rich yet slightly bitter for extra depth. And that's where dark chocolate comes in.

Dark chocolate has long been a secret ingredient in all sorts of Italian dishes, and in bolognese its bitterness softens the acidity of the tomatoes beautifully. You could either use one or two tablespoons of grated chocolate, or a single square. For the best results, add the dark chocolate to the sauce about 15 minutes before it's done cooking, and you'll notice a richer bolognese with more pronounced flavors.

As well as adding depth of flavor and much-needed balance, the chocolate is a great emulsifier, pulling together all of the elements of the sauce, like the oils from the meat and acid from the tomatoes. It also makes the texture of your sauce silkier and just a little bit thicker, with an even more delightfully complex aroma.

A batch of bolognese with a hint of dark chocolate doesn't taste like you're having chocolate for dinner. Instead, the bitter and earthy elements in the chocolate bring out all the flavors from browned meat, sauteed onion, tomato, and herbs. Add a bit of nutmeg, the unique spice Stanley Tucci adds to bolognese, to further bring out the earthy and sweet notes of dark chocolate and tomatoes. And try adding dark chocolate to other Italian recipes, as well. It's a wonderful option for bringing to life the layered flavors of a good marinara sauce, for example, or try a little in a ravioli filling with pumpkin.