This top Sydney chef says we've been making spaghetti bolognese wrong - News + Articles

Apr 28, 2025

It’s eaten like this around the world, but a top Sydney chef has revealed Italians would never serve a popular dish this way as “it doesn’t work”. Words by Rebekah Scanlan.

A Sydney Michelin-trained chef has revealed we’re eating a classic Italian dish entirely “wrong” – but fortunately, there’s an easy fix.

Alessandro Pavoni, an Italian-born chef, has explained that while spaghetti bolognese is a dish eaten around the world, that’s not how it is eaten in its native country.

The restaurateur, who opened a’Mare, the hugely successful fine-dining Italian restaurant in Crown Sydney in late 2020, said the mistake lies in the shape of the beloved carb, highlighting that many sauces are commonly served with the wrong pasta.

A photo of Italian-born chef, Alessandro Pavoni in his white chefs shirt looking at the camera smiling with his arms crossed, in front of a pale wall. — Alessandro Pavoni

“People love using thin or smooth pasta with chunky sauces – like bolognese on capellini or pesto on penne,” Pavoni told news.com.au.

“It just doesn’t work – the sauce slides off or gets lost. You need the right shape to catch the sauce properly.”

Traditionally, bolognese is dished up with tagliatelle verdi, a fresh pasta recipe made with spinach to give a naturally vibrant, verdant bright-green hue.

“The wide green ribbons carry the meat sauce perfectly,” Pavoni said.

“Spaghetti is served with vongole. A light, delicate dish, that lets the clams and garlic shine.”

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A pale bowl of tagliatelle pasta with a red oxtail meat sauce is placed on a pale surface with a fork on the left side of the bowl with a twist of pasta in its prongs, and a striped navy and white tea towel to the left and a glass of red wine on the bottom right side. — Tagliatelle pasta

Using the wrong shape isn’t the only mistake Aussies are making when cooking pasta at home, with Pavoni – who first moved to Sydney in 2003 – explaining there are other no-nos to avoid.

“Too much sauce, overcooked pasta and skipping the final toss in the pan are all things people get wrong when recreating iconic Italian dishes,” he said.

“Pasta should be al dente, coated – not swimming – and finished in the sauce with a splash of pasta water. That’s how it all comes together.”

His top tips for mastering the art of pasta at home include: salt your water, use a big pot and never rinse the pasta.

A grey ceramic bowl of Cacio e pepe with green spaghetti sits on a grey cement table with salt, pepper and parmesan cheese on top of the pasta, with a fork and a spoon twisted into the pasta on the plate and a striped tea towel placed underneath the bowl. A small bowl of parmesan cheese and a glass of white wine are in the background on the top right. — Cacio e pepe with green spaghetti

“Always finish it in the sauce – that’s where the magic happens,” he added.

“And don’t overthink it. Keep it simple, respect the process and the pasta will speak for itself.”

However, the top chef isn’t immune from making mistakes of his own, revealing he recently switched the pasta shape in the iconic pesto dish sold at a’Mare.

“The pesto pasta is one of the most popular items on the menu, but we have moved away from trofie, a short, twisted spiral-shape, and now use the trottole, a thick twirl,” Pavoni said.

“It scoops more sauce, adds texture and elevates the dish.

“Customers love it because the pesto is made fresh table-side – the smell, the colour, the texture; it’s completely different. It doesn’t oxidise, it’s vibrant. It’s a full experience, not just a pasta dish.”