Italian cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Pasta alla Genovese

Neapolitan ziti with beef that braises for hours with a huge amount of onion into a sweetly browned sauce.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 700 g beef chuck
• 1.2 kg onions
• 2 carrots
• 1 stalk celery
• 150 ml white wine
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 500 g ziti (or rigatoni as a substitute)
• 60 g parmesan
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Cut the beef into four large pieces, slice the onions into thin strips, and finely dice the carrots and celery.
2. Heat olive oil in a heavy pot and sear the meat vigorously all over for 8 min. until it has deep browned surfaces.
3. Add the carrots, celery and all of the onions, salt, add the bay leaf and braise covered over the lowest heat for 60 min. – the onions will release their own juices.
4. Set the lid slightly ajar and braise for another 2 hours, stirring every 20 min., until the onions have broken down into a golden-brown cream.
5. Deglaze with the white wine, reduce uncovered for 20 min. until the sauce turns glossy and thick, then shred the meat with two forks and mix it back in; season with salt and pepper.
6. Cook the ziti in plenty of salted water until al dente, toss in the pan with two ladles of sauce and serve sprinkled with the grated parmesan.