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Pedants' corner
Original poster

Bolognaise not bolognese

162 replies

Bubblyaero · 07/01/2026 23:32

It’s all ragù to me, but I’ve noticed people starting to put lentils in their “bolognaise”, and it troubles me more than the recent potato lasagne. When did it change? 🫤

OP posts:
Original poster
Bubblyaero · 08/01/2026 19:53

Iceshine · 08/01/2026 18:48

It doesn't matter how people say it or spell it we all know what they mean.

This is Pedants’ Corner. These things are important here!

OP posts:
CaptainMyCaptain · 08/01/2026 19:55

SpringIsComingSoonFolks · 08/01/2026 19:41

Someone (in another thread) decided to make a lasagna and forgot the lasagne. So they made it with potatoes. And their DH said “mmm love Shepherds pie”…. Which would have been fine if they hadn’t also been planning to put POTATOES IN THEIR LASAGNA!!! Dirty bastards. 🤦🏻‍♀️🙈

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I thought they had the potatoes on the side which is still a bit odd.

BambinaCucina · 08/01/2026 19:59

Putneydad7 · 08/01/2026 18:36

I had a mate who once broke up with his South African girlfriend because it really annoyed him when she said "pitza" for pizza.
So these things are clearly important or my mate is very shallow, obvs.

I'm intrigued, how does he pronounce pizza without the "tz" sound?!

CaptainMyCaptain · 08/01/2026 20:01

BambinaCucina · 08/01/2026 19:59

I'm intrigued, how does he pronounce pizza without the "tz" sound?!

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Maybe it's the 'i' rather than 'ee' sound he objected to.

CaptainMyCaptain · 08/01/2026 20:02

Maybe it's the 'i' rather than 'ee' sound he objected to.

BambinaCucina · 08/01/2026 20:04

CaptainMyCaptain · 08/01/2026 20:02

Maybe it's the 'i' rather than 'ee' sound he objected to.

That's true.

My Great Aunt used to pronounce it as in "The Leaning Tower of Pisa" 🙈 "The girls would like a pisa, two pisas for this table, please. Oh yes, two cheese pisas. Pisa."

Pedant5corner · 08/01/2026 20:08

BambinaCucina · 08/01/2026 19:59

I'm intrigued, how does he pronounce pizza without the "tz" sound?!

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Pitzuh vs Peet-za

Oldwmn · 08/01/2026 20:20

I have never given this a second's thought.

Kelticgold · 08/01/2026 21:41

CaptainMyCaptain · 08/01/2026 07:59

There was a thread from someone who had started to make lasagne (that's the way I spell it not lasagna, I don't know which OP prefers) but didn't have any lasagne sheets. She did have boiled potatoes because she likes potatoes with lasagne (weird) and posters suggested she layer potatoes with the sauce. I don't think was intended to be lasagne but an alternative dish which imo would be absolutely acceptable albeit not lasagne. I left the thread at this point so I don't know what was said after this.

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I think she ate it and it was delicious.

angerelle · 08/01/2026 21:44

My mum was horrified when my junior school teacher put "bolognaise" in my book when I asked her how to spell it. This was about 1977 though.

SpringIsComingSoonFolks · 08/01/2026 22:02

CaptainMyCaptain · 08/01/2026 19:55

I thought they had the potatoes on the side which is still a bit odd.

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Carbtastic! 🥔🍠🍜

MaddestGranny · 08/01/2026 22:47

This has been the most wonderful MN thread ever.

A pure joy.
I speak as a GrannyGrazer and an Unrepentant Pedant.
And, yes, can we have the laughing emoji back?

Phoenixfire1988 · 08/01/2026 23:47

It changed when mince became £8 a pack !!! People now use lentils to bulk it out as its cheaper .

nevernotmaybe · 09/01/2026 02:29

Pedant5corner · 08/01/2026 17:18

It doesn't rhyme with mayonnaise.
It's bolonyeh-seh. (ish)

Spag bog makes me think of food poisoning.

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It still rymes with mayonnaise essentially, just with the y added so nyaise sound. It kind of has a bit of a seh sound on the end in italian but will often be barely audible. And we are talking about English anyway, and there is no end sound in English.

RosyPumpkins · 09/01/2026 03:43

BambinaCucina · 08/01/2026 20:04

That's true.

My Great Aunt used to pronounce it as in "The Leaning Tower of Pisa" 🙈 "The girls would like a pisa, two pisas for this table, please. Oh yes, two cheese pisas. Pisa."

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😂😂😂 I think i’m
old enough to adopt this and bewilder some people.
I can’t even tell you what my FIL calls bolognese, it’s too distressing.

Ohpleeeease · 09/01/2026 04:22

While we’re talking forrin. I asked a girl in Aldi where the chorizo was.

Reader, she corrected me - “ Oh, yeah, chereetzo”.

I can’t get myself banned from Aldi because of the caramelised digestives but I could have struck her.

StrawberryJangle · 09/01/2026 05:25

SpringIsComingSoonFolks · 08/01/2026 19:45

That was indeed pointed out.

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Surely lasagne is beef mince and moussaka is lamb though.

I got thrown by the boiled potatoes originally being a side to the hefty pasta dish.

RandalsAunty · 09/01/2026 07:08

SpringIsComingSoonFolks · 08/01/2026 22:02

Carbtastic! 🥔🍠🍜

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in my work canteen (rather esteemed public sector institution) they went through a phase of triple carbs offering. Each dish was served with chips/potatoes, rice/pasta and some sort of bread. 🤷🏼‍♀️

RandalsAunty · 09/01/2026 07:11

FruitWordSalad · 08/01/2026 16:20

We used to make polonaise topping in school cookery classes. It was a finely chopped boiled egg and breadcrumb topping. If I remember rightly we would melt butter, add the eggs and breadcrumbs and cook for a couple of minutes. Then sprinkle over things. Could it be that?

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You might be right. Odd pasta dish though. And nothing to do with Poland, which I assumed there was a connection.

Original poster
Bubblyaero · 09/01/2026 07:42

MaddestGranny · 08/01/2026 22:47

This has been the most wonderful MN thread ever.

A pure joy.
I speak as a GrannyGrazer and an Unrepentant Pedant.
And, yes, can we have the laughing emoji back?

It’s been a good thread, but it was posted in Pedants’ Corner and has been derailed by talk of the recipe rather than of the name. The point has been missed!

OP posts:
ApolloandDaphne · 09/01/2026 07:45

I'm in Bologna right now and weirdly it's more about the tortellini here (with broth or a cream sauce). Or pasta with meat ragu (I guess what we would call bologese). All very delicious.

LucyMonth · 09/01/2026 10:40

It’s a weird thing to get bothered about when people are rarely actually making a Bolognese anyway. Bolognese has milk and/or cream in it. If you are putting mince/lentils/carrots whatever in a tomato sauce or ragu sauce you haven’t made a bolognese.

Pedant5corner · 09/01/2026 11:17

@nevernotmaybe, It doesn't and my post was in reply to a post claiming that the French spelling was used because it rhymed.

Pedant5corner · 09/01/2026 11:19

I don't like pasta and don't eat meat.