TABELIAAUTHENTIC RECIPE
Pasta alla Genovese NapoletanaNeapolitan Pasta alla Genovese
Naples’ own genovese, unrelated to Ligurian pesto. A great quantity of onions is simmered for 3–4 hours until meltingly soft, extracting the savor of beef into the sauce. The sweetness of amber-colored onions defines this beloved Neapolitan Sunday dish.
AUTHENTICITY SCORE
Authenticity Score
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Ingredients (6 servings)
- Ziti or rigatoni500 g
- Onions (or white onions)Thinly sliced. The large quantity is intentional.2000 g
- Beef round or rump (whole piece)Adds flavor to the sauce. After cooking, serve separately as a secondo.800 g
- Lardo or pancettaCut into 1 cm cubes.100 g
- Dry white wine200 ml
- Parmigiano or PecorinoGrate.60 g
- SaltFor the pasta water (8 g per 1 L water).as needed
Method
Prepare the ingredients
- 1 Thinly slice 2 kg onions.
- 2 Cut 100 g lardo (or pancetta) into 1 cm cubes.
- 3 Prepare the beef as a whole piece; do not cut it.
Ready when
The onions are thinly sliced and the lardo is in 1 cm cubes.
Caution
The large quantity of onions is correct. Do not reduce it.
Build the base for simmering
- 1 Put the lardo, all the sliced onions and the beef in a large pot.
- 2 Pour in 200 ml white wine, cover and set over low heat.
Ready when
All ingredients are in the pot over low heat.
Caution
Do not add oil. Cook in the lardo fat and the onions’ moisture.
Simmer slowly
- 1 MeanwhileStart boiling a large pot of water (10 g salt per 1 L water).
- 2 Simmer over low heat for 3–4 hours.
- 3 Stir every 30 minutes during cooking.
Ready when
The onions are completely melting and amber-colored.
Caution
Simmer for at least 3 hours. Continue until the onions turn amber.
Remove the beef
- 1 Remove the beef.
Ready when
The beef has been removed, leaving only the onion sauce.
Cook the pasta
- 1 Add the ziti to the prepared boiling salted water and cook al dente, removing 1 minute before the package time.
Ready when
The ziti has been removed 1 minute early and is al dente.
Caution
Remove 1 minute before the package time because it will be combined with the sauce.
Toss with the sauce
- 1 Add 50–100 ml pasta cooking water to the sauce to adjust the consistency.
- 2 Add the pasta and toss thoroughly.
Ready when
The sauce clings well to all the pasta.
Serve with cheese
- 1 Plate and grate Parmigiano or Pecorino over the top.
Ready when
It is ready when the cheese melts in the residual heat and blends with the pasta.
About this dish
Neapolitan genovese has no connection to Genoa. Several theories explain its curious name: perhaps merchants from Genoa brought it to Naples, or perhaps a cook at a food shop on Via Genova invented it. In any case, the dish does not exist in modern Genoa. It belongs entirely to Naples.
Simmering beef and onions for 4–6 hours is the fundamental process. A large quantity of onions caramelizes over long cooking and merges with the meat’s savor, creating a deep brown sauce without a drop of tomato. This transformation of onions is the dish’s magic.
Cooking begins on Sunday morning so that the sauce is ready for lunch: the rhythm of Neapolitan Sunday home cooking is built into the preparation itself.
Bring the full course home next weekend.
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