"That's right, one of the many creative uses for fish sauce is adding a splash to your spaghetti bolognese. Now, when you first crack the bottle open, fish sauce can smell powerful, depending on the brand you buy, and it might seem like an odd pairing for bolognese. But when diluted into a whole pot of sauce, that fishy smell disappears, and the umami infusion remains."
"You see, fish sauces, which are made by fermenting small oily fish, are naturally high in glutamates, the key to umami flavor. With a bolognese sauce, umami is already one of the main targets, and is a large part of why we find it such a satisfyingly savory sauce. Tomatoes are high in glutamates, as are the meats you put in the sauce, like pork and beef."
"Bolognese sauce isn't the only Italian dish that can benefit from a dash or two of fish sauce, either. You might see it listed as a secret ingredient in a savory lasagna recipe, or just about anywhere else you find tomatoes. The recipes that it works well in don't need to be cooked, either. A little fish sauce will upgrade a tomato salad just like it does a tomato sauce, adding salty, savory layers of flavor."
Fish sauce can be added to spaghetti bolognese to intensify savory umami notes without imparting a lasting fishy aroma when diluted into a full pot of sauce. Fish sauces are produced by fermenting small oily fish and are naturally rich in glutamates, which yield umami flavor. Tomatoes and meats such as pork and beef already contribute glutamates to bolognese, and a tablespoon or two of fish sauce amplifies that depth. Fish sauce also improves other Italian preparations that use tomatoes, from lasagna to uncooked tomato salads. Colatura di alici is a similar, fish-derived ingredient used in some Italian salads.
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