La Genovese
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 6-8 Servings
Ingredients
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3–4 lbs onions (yellow or white, ramate di Montoro if you can get them)
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2–2.5 lbs beef (chuck or brisket for a courser sauce; shank or short rib for a fattier/silkier sauce)
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2 large carrots, chopped fine
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2 celery stalks, chopped fine
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2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed (optional, some purists skip it)
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½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
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1–2 cups dry white wine
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Salt & freshly ground black pepper
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Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, to finish
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2 lbs ziti, paccheri, or mezzani (big tubular pasta holds the sauce beautifully)
Instructions
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Prep the onions: Peel and slice them not too thin, not too chunky — about ¼-inch half-moons. This is your main ingredient, so don’t rush.
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Brown the meat: In a heavy-bottomed pot (enameled Dutch oven or copper if you’re fancy), heat the olive oil. Brown the beef well on all sides. Remove and set aside.
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Soften the base: Add carrots, celery, and garlic (if using). Sauté until golden, ~5–7 minutes.
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Add the onions: Throw in the mountain of onions. Salt generously. Stir, let them sweat and release liquid. Lower the heat — this is the beginning of their slow surrender.
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Return the beef: Nestle the browned meat back in. Add white wine, scrape the bottom, let alcohol evaporate.
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Low & Slow Magic: Cover partially with a lid and let it go low and slow for 4–6 hours, stirring occasionally. The onions should break down into a luscious, caramel-brown sauce. If it’s too dry, add a splash of water or broth, but it should never be soupy.
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After about 3 hours: The onions will have turned golden-brown and jammy.
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After 4+ hours: They’re molten, glossy, sweet-savory perfection.
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Finish the sauce: Remove the meat (slice and serve as a second course if you want tradition). Taste the onion sauce for seasoning — it should be sweet, deep, almost meaty on its own.
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Pasta: Boil pasta al dente. Toss it in the onion sauce, adding a splash of pasta water to emulsify. Coat every piece like it’s wearing liquid silk.
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Serve: Top with freshly cracked black pepper and a sprinkle of grated cheese. Serve the meat separately with a salad, or shred it back into the sauce for a heartier dish.
Notes
Be sure to vent the lid of the pot adequately–it will take considerably longer for the onions to break down if steam accumulates.