Description
Hearty ziti alla genovese brings Naples’ rich culinary tradition to life with its luxurious meat sauce and tender pasta. Simmered slowly with onions and beef, this classic Italian dish promises a comforting meal that connects you to generations of home cooking.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 800 grams (28.2 ounces) beef chuck, cut into large chunks
Pasta:
- 500 grams (17.6 ounces) ziti pasta
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 kilogram (35.3 ounces) onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Oils, Liquids, and Seasonings:
- 100 milliliters (3.4 fluid ounces) white wine
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Garnish and Serving:
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Create a robust foundation by searing beef chunks in olive oil, developing a rich caramel-colored exterior and sealing in deep, savory flavors. Transfer meat to a separate plate after achieving a golden-brown texture.
- Utilize the same cooking vessel to slowly transform onions and garlic, allowing them to mellow and caramelize into a sweet, translucent golden mixture, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Reunite the seared beef with the caramelized aromatics, introducing white wine to deglaze the pan and capture all embedded flavor essence. Pour sufficient liquid to submerge ingredients partially.
- Reduce heat and allow the mixture to gently simmer, creating a tender environment where meat gradually softens and develops an incredibly rich, melt-in-your-mouth consistency. Periodically check liquid levels and stir to prevent scorching.
- Simultaneously prepare ziti in generously salted boiling water, ensuring pasta reaches precise al dente texture with a subtle resistance when bitten.
- Drain pasta thoroughly, then lovingly combine with the luxurious beef and onion sauce, allowing each pasta tube to absorb the complex, deeply developed flavors.
- Present the dish adorned with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and delicate, aromatic basil leaves, creating a visually stunning and fragrant Italian masterpiece.
Notes
- Select high-quality beef cuts like chuck or brisket for maximum tenderness and rich flavor in the sauce.
- Slow-cooking is crucial for developing deep, complex flavors and creating melt-in-your-mouth meat texture.
- Use sweet onions like Vidalia for natural caramelization and enhanced sweetness during long cooking process.
- Experiment with red wine instead of white for a more robust and intense sauce profile when traditional recipe allows variation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg