Ziti alla Genovese

A mountain of onions melted into an amber cream coating beef pieces that fall apart at the touch of a fork. The deep scent of braised meat and reduced white wine fills the room.

• Prep time: 30 min
• Cook time: 240 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 1795
• Protein: 93 g
• Carbs: 217 g
• Fat: 64 g

Ingredients

• 1 kg Beef chuck ( cut into large chunks )
• 2 kg Yellow onion ( finely sliced )
• 2 piece Carrot ( finely diced )
• 1 piece Apium graveolens ( finely diced )
• 200 ml Dry white wine
• 500 g Dried pasta ( broken ziti type )
• 60 g Parmesan cheese ( grated )
• 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 500 g Ziti pasta ( broken by hand )

Instructions

1. Preparing the aromatics

   Finely slice the onions. Cut the carrots and celery into a very fine brunoise. Even cutting ensures the vegetables melt uniformly.

2. Browning the meat

   Heat olive oil in a cast-iron pot. Sear the beef chunks on all sides until a deep brown crust forms. Remove the meat.

3. Deglazing and slow cooking

   Deglaze with white wine, scraping up the browned bits. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Place the meat back in the center. Cover and simmer on very low heat. Onions should release their liquid and slowly candy.

4. Reducing the sauce

   Remove the lid. Continue cooking until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and turns a dark caramel color. The meat should shred with a fork.

5. Finishing and binding

   Cook the pasta al dente. Break the ziti by hand if they are long. Toss the pasta with the sauce and a splash of cooking water to bind everything. Add grated parmesan.

Chef's tips

• Don't add water; the onions provide enough liquid if the heat is low enough.
• The sauce is ready when it reaches the consistency of a thick, glossy jam.
• Break the ziti by hand irregularly; that's the traditional Neapolitan way.

Storage

The sauce keeps for 3 days in the fridge. It's even better reheated as the flavors concentrate.