Top Sydney chef says we're eating a classic pasta dish entirely wrong
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 many sauces are commonly served with the wrong pasta.
'People love using thin or smooth pasta with chunky sauces — like Bolognese on capellini or pesto on penne,' he 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.'
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.
'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.'
The top chef however 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.'
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The Advertiser
13 hours ago
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'We both cried': Australians of the Year call for more nominations in 2026 awards
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For Senior Australian of the Year, Brother Olly Pickett, the award has had some beautiful spin-offs for vulnerable children around the globe. For a start, more people learnt about the charity Wheelchair for Kids, which provides free wheelchairs and occupational therapy expertise for children in developing countries. The wheelchairs are assembled in a factory in WA by retirees. Brother Olly said in the weeks after winning Senior Australian of the Year, he was approached by a local woman who wanted to donate 1000 wheelchairs. "I said, 'You do realise that's going to cost you $275,000?'," Brother Pickett said. "She said, 'Yes, I've come into a bit of money'. She said, 'I saw the ad in the paper and it got to me. I want to help 1000 little kids'. I said, 'That's amazing'." She was serious, too, because she had a representative of her bank with her to make the transfer. "Just to see the smiles on the kids' faces. That you're able to help someone who you might never meet," he said. 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For Senior Australian of the Year, Brother Olly Pickett, the award has had some beautiful spin-offs for vulnerable children around the globe. For a start, more people learnt about the charity Wheelchair for Kids, which provides free wheelchairs and occupational therapy expertise for children in developing countries. The wheelchairs are assembled in a factory in WA by retirees. Brother Olly said in the weeks after winning Senior Australian of the Year, he was approached by a local woman who wanted to donate 1000 wheelchairs. "I said, 'You do realise that's going to cost you $275,000?'," Brother Pickett said. "She said, 'Yes, I've come into a bit of money'. She said, 'I saw the ad in the paper and it got to me. I want to help 1000 little kids'. I said, 'That's amazing'." She was serious, too, because she had a representative of her bank with her to make the transfer. "Just to see the smiles on the kids' faces. That you're able to help someone who you might never meet," he said. 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Dr Wruck and Brother Olly on July 2 attended a special event for subscribers of The Canberra Times and had dinner at Government House with Governor-General Sam Mostyn. They were due to appear on Sunrise on Thursday morning from the Stepping Stones cafe at Strathnairn, with the business's co-founders Vanessa Brettell and Hannah Costello who were the recipients of the 2025 Australia's Local Hero award. Nominations for the 2026 awards are open again in the categories of Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero. Brother Olly said he already had a nomination in mind, while Dr Wruck also urged people to put forward someone they knew. "Definitely nominate them," she said, adding that the other nominees for 2025 Young Australian of the Year had become her firm friends. "A really, beautiful supportive bunch," she said.
The Advertiser
3 days ago
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One responded, thinking they had offended a younger colleague who replied with a skull after a serious message, only to learn it meant "I'm dead" from laughing. READ MORE: 'Carn, slab, cask and spew': Australian slang added to dictionary Linguist Dr Lauren Gawne said the findings show that while emojis are widely used in Australian workplaces, their meanings aren't universal. "Each generation brings new layers of meaning to how they use them," she said. "The same emoji can signal enthusiasm, sarcasm, or stress depending on who's sending it or who's receiving it." The research comes as Vodafone launches its Emoji Decoder to offer insights into how Australians from different generations use emojis to communicate. READ MORE: 'You say tomato': Italian chef corrects Australia's common mispronunciations Emojis are being increasingly misinterpreted at work, particularly among different generations. 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One respondent said they initially took the thumbs up as passive-aggressive before realising their colleague genuinely meant 'OK'. The skull is one of the most confusing emojis, the research found. Thirty per cent of Gen Z interpret it as dark humour or sarcasm, 32 per cent of millennials use it to indicate exhaustion. Older generations were left flummoxed and guessed it could be a warning ( 34 per cent). One responded, thinking they had offended a younger colleague who replied with a skull after a serious message, only to learn it meant "I'm dead" from laughing. READ MORE: 'Carn, slab, cask and spew': Australian slang added to dictionary Linguist Dr Lauren Gawne said the findings show that while emojis are widely used in Australian workplaces, their meanings aren't universal. "Each generation brings new layers of meaning to how they use them," she said. "The same emoji can signal enthusiasm, sarcasm, or stress depending on who's sending it or who's receiving it." The research comes as Vodafone launches its Emoji Decoder to offer insights into how Australians from different generations use emojis to communicate. READ MORE: 'You say tomato': Italian chef corrects Australia's common mispronunciations
Perth Now
5 days ago
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Aussie towns marked for census testing
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