Neapolitan Pasta Alla Genovese with Beef and Onions — Chef Shadi Alsayouri
Ingredients
Beef and onion sauce ingredients
- 1 kg yellow or copper onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- 600 g beef chuck or shoulder, cut into large pieces.
- 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 100 g carrot, finely chopped
- 80 g celery, finely chopped.
- 150 ml dry white wine, optional.
- 250–400 ml hot beef stock or water, as needed
- 1 small thyme sprig or herb bundle, optional.
- Salt and black pepper, as needed.
Pasta ingredients
- 400 g ziti or rigatoni pasta
Serving ingredients
- 50–70 g finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Preparation Method
Preparation and mise en place
- Preparation time is 30 minutes. Prepare a heavy-bottomed lidded pot, a sharp knife, a cutting board, and a pasta pot. Slice the onions evenly for consistent cooking. Pat the beef dry and prepare the carrot and celery. For the traditional Neapolitan white-sauce style, do not add tomatoes.
Browning the beef and building the flavor base
Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches until well colored on several sides, then remove and reserve. Avoid overcrowding the pot, which causes steaming rather than browning. Add the carrot and celery and cook for 3–5 minutes. Add the onions and stir as they soften and release moisture. Scrape up the browned residue from the bottom of the pot to capture its flavor.
Deglazing and adding the remaining ingredients
If using white wine, add it and simmer gently until the sharp alcoholic aroma subsides and the flavor concentrates. Return the beef to the pot, then add the herbs, black pepper, and a modest amount of salt.
Slow cooking
Cover the pot and cook at the lowest heat that maintains a very gentle simmer for approximately 3–4 hours. Stir every 20–30 minutes and monitor the bottom of the pot. Add small amounts of hot stock or water if the mixture becomes too dry before the beef is tender. Do not flood the onions with liquid; the goal is slow cooking and gradual flavor concentration.
Finishing the sauce and cooking the pasta
When the beef is very tender and easy to pull apart, remove it and shred or slice it according to the serving style. Return some beef to the sauce or reserve it to serve as a second course. Uncover the pot during the final stage if further reduction is needed. The sauce should become thick and smooth, amber to brown in color, without burnt notes. Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente, following the package timing. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining
Combining and serving
oss the pasta with the sauce over low heat for 1–2 minutes. Add a little reserved pasta water if needed to improve consistency and coating. Serve immediately with finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano and freshly ground black pepper.
Chef’s Tips
a. Use a heavy-bottomed pot to reduce the risk of scorching the onions. Do not rush onion reduction over high heat; soften the onions gradually before concentrating the flavor.
b. Avoid overcrowding the beef during browning. Stir the sauce every 20–30 minutes during slow cooking and monitor the bottom of the pot.
c. Add small amounts of hot stock or water when needed, and do not flood the onions with liquid. White wine can be omitted and replaced with stock or water.
d. Hand-broken ziti or rigatoni are suitable pasta choices. Cream, garlic, and tomatoes are not required for this traditional-style formulation.
