What Makes Bolognese Different Than Pasta Sauce or Sunday Gravy?

Though loved by many, Bolognese isunderstood by few—at least outside of Italy.What surprises many non-Italians is thattomato takes a backseat in Bolognese,and the sauce has a nutty, russet color.The ragú from the city of Bologna isusually made with a combination ofpork and beef (and sometimes veal).It often contains cured pork, suchas pancetta, to help season it.Milk — yes, milk — coats the meat andadds a mellow sweetness to the sauce.Ragú Bolognese is rich and savory,but gentle and silky, too—it's perfectfor coating tender egg pasta.Another option is a rounded shape that has ahole to catch the sauce, like rigatoni or ziti