Italian sauces, especially for pasta, are important to all Italian recipes. They are simple, flavourful and delicious. What would great pasta be without a fresh pesto or creamy carbonara to engulf the taste buds? The two basic white Italian sauces are balsamella which base is a combination of flour and fat with hot milk, and salsa bianca where stock takes the place of the hot milk – used for carbonara. The most famous Italian sauce is the basic tomato sauce, which becomes a ragù when meat and/or mushrooms are added. One of the most flavourful Italian sauces is basil pesto – fresh basil, fresh parsley, fresh garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, cheese and fresh olive oil.

We feature four of the most common and classic Italian sauces and all follow the fundamental rule of Italian cuisine – simplicity. Carbonara’s origins are from Rome. Pesto’s roots are from the North – specifically Genoa. Bolognese originates from Bologna and a classic tomato sauce is common all over Italy. Unlike many French sauces, which can break, Italian sauces, when using the philosophy of quanto basto – ‘the right amount’ will always be appetising and delectable.


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