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Lady Gaga's Bolognese recipe has a surprising secret ingredient

The singer celebrated her Italian roots by sharing how she makes the classic sauce.
/ Source: TODAY

A classic Bolognese sauce is a beloved Italian comfort food that usually includes ground meat, a mirepoix (carrots, onions and celery), stock and some type of wine.

But one mega star’s twist on the classic dish may just be the perfect way to use up a summer staple.

On Sunday night, Lady Gaga told fans via Instagram that she puts rosé wine in her Bolognese.

“Put rosé in my Bolognese. Making dinner with love and some spicy Italian gravy. Love to everyone!! mangia !!!!!! Xxxxxxoooooxoooo I love connecting with my culture with someone I love,” she captioned the photo series, which didn't include any pictures of the pasta dish she made.

This isn’t the first time the "Rain on Me" singer has talked about her love of Bolognese. In 2014, she shared a pot of sauce simmering away on the stove.

In 2015, she got creative and made a Bolognese with steak.

So is it really OK use rosé when making Bolognese? After all, most recipes call for a dry red.

The pros seem to think it could work quite nicely — which shouldn't be too surprising given that Gaga is an investor in her parents' Italian restaurant, Joanne Trattoria, in New York City.

“Almost any wine in Bolognese, or many sauces, is a good idea,” celebrity chef Jacques Pepin told TODAY Food via email. “Wine adds depth and complexity and acidity. While red wine is a bit richer and more tannic, rosé is just fine as long as it is not off-dry or sweet."

Classic Spaghetti Bolognese

"It’s really not surprising at all," chef Marc Vetri, who owns several Italian restaurants in the Philadelphia area, told TODAY. "Sometimes I’ll use champagne or a sparkling wine. It’s all good! The more layers of flavor the better."

Matt Bolus, chef at Nashville's The 404 Kitchen, agreed that substituting rosé for red or white wine could yield very tasty results. “If you don't have a great red at home, why not go with what you have?” Bolus said.

But not just any rosé will do. Bolus added, “If you don’t like it well enough to drink a glass of it, it’s not going to help your food taste any better."

Since most rosés are made from the same grapes as red wines, you'll likely get many of the "same flavors and possibly some new different notes," Bolus said. He also recommended sticking to a drier, more acidic wine, though. Fruitier wines should not be used in this type of sauce.

If you don't have the time to make a classic Bolognese (with any type of wine) and happen to be in the New York City area, Joanne Trattoria is currently open for takeout, delivery and limited outdoor service.