Pasta Al Genovese Recipes

PASTA ALLA GENOVESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the onions in the boiling water, and cook, covered, 15 minutes. Drain the onions, and let cool a bit, then slice very thinly.
• Heat half the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat; stir in the carrots, celery and bacon, and cook for 4 minutes. Add the beef, then cover with the onions. Pour the remaining oil over the onions, then sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover, bring to a simmer and cook gently until the beef is tender, about 2 hours; the onions will release a good deal of liquid.
• Uncover the pot and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring more frequently as the liquid reduces and lowering the heat as necessary to prevent scorching, until the meat has fallen apart and the sauce is creamy, about 45 minutes. Stir in the wine and taste, adding more wine if desired. Reduce the heat to low, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is glossy and quite thick, about 15 minutes more.
• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain and toss with the sauce. Stir in Parmesan to taste, then serve.

SPAGHETTI GENOVESE

Steps:

• Pour a kettle of boiling water into a very large pan until half full. Return to the boil, then add the potatoes and spaghetti, and a little salt. Cook for 10 minutes until the potatoes and pasta are almost tender. Tip in the green beans and cook for 5 minutes more.
• Drain well, reserving 4 tbsp of the cooking liquid. Return the potatoes, pasta and beans to the pan, then stir in the fresh pesto and reserved cooking liquid. Season to taste, divide between four serving plates and drizzle with a little olive oil.

RIGATONI ALLA GENOVESE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook pancetta until most of fat is rendered out, about 6 minutes. Remove cooked pancetta with a slotted spoon and save.
• Raise heat to high and transfer meat to the pot. Season with salt. Cook and stir until liquid releases from beef and begins to evaporate, and meat browns, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-high. Add celery, carrots, reserved cooked pancetta, salt and pepper. Cook and stir about 5 minutes. Add a heaping tablespoon of tomato paste, bay leaf, and white wine. Cook and stir, scraping up the brownings from the bottom of the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Add sliced onions. Reduce heat to medium. Cover pot and cook 30 minutes without stirring. After 30 minutes, stir onions and meat until well mixed. Cover again, and cook another 30 minutes. Stir.
• Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered 8 to 10 hours, stirring occasionally. Skim off fat as mixture cooks. If sauce seems to reduce too much, add water or broth as needed to maintain a sauce-like consistency. Cook until beef and onions seem to melt into each other.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until just barely al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain.
• Add rigatoni to the sauce and cook until heated through. Serve topped with a pinch of marjoram and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

TROFIE ALLA GENOVESE

Steps:

• Start by making the pesto: Heat a dry pan over medium-low heat. Add pine nuts and roast, tossing occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor.
• Add basil, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup olive oil, and garlic to the pine nuts; pulse until pesto is smooth. Add more olive oil if pesto is too thick. Season with salt and pepper and let rest for 1 hour.
• Prepare pasta: Bring vegetable stock to a boil in a large pot. Add haricots verts and boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer, add potato, and cook until both are fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon, leaving broth in the pot.
• Add trofie pasta to the broth and boil until tender yet firm to the bite, 7 to 8 minutes for dry pasta and 3 to 4 minutes for fresh. Drain.
• Combine potatoes, green beans, and pasta with the reserved pesto and toss together. Plate immediately with a wedge of lemon.

TRIOFE AL PESTO GENOVESE

Steps:

• Make the Pesto: Place garlic on a cutting board and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Crush using the flat side of a large knife. Continue crushing using both sides of the knife in a back-and-forth fashion until a paste is formed. Transfer garlic paste to the bowl of a food processor along with basil and both cheeses; process until smooth. Add pine nuts and pulse until almost smooth. Add olive oil and butter; let stand for about 3 minutes and season with salt and pepper. Pesto may be stored in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 1 month.
• Make the Triofe: Place semolina on a work surface and make a well in the center. Add 6 tablespoons water to well. Slowly incorporate the semolina with the water until well combined (if mixture seems to dry, add water, one teaspoon at a time, as necessary); knead to form a dough. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
• Working on a large clean wooden board, break off a walnut-sized piece of dough and roll to make a long, 1/8-inch-thick strand; cut each strand into 1 1/2-inch-long pieces.
• Working with one piece of dough at a time, use the flat side of a knife at a 45-degree angle to both the board and the dough, and draw it across and along the dough to create a deep, spiraling groove along the length. Grooves should extend within the dough, and inner surface will be rough and outside smooth. The dough has now been rolled and stretched into a rectangle in the process, the angle of the knife causing the dough to roll up diagonally, creating the torpedo shape. Repeat process with remaining pieces. Repeat process until all the dough is used; set aside and let dry slightly, about 20 minutes.
• Alternatively, roll one piece of pasta between your hands to start the torpedo shape. One by one, roll the lengths between the ball of your palm and the board with considerable pressure, sliding your hand along the length as you go. The friction should cause the strip to flatten and twist into an irregular helix. Add a little more pressure at the start and finish to taper the ends and create a torpedo shape. You need to have friction between the dough and the board; if dough skids, dampen board slightly. Repeat process with remaining pieces. Repeat process until all the dough is used; set aside and let dry slightly, about 20 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat; generously salt and return to a boil. Add pasta, potatoes, and green beans; cook until pasta, potatoes, and green beans are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and serve with a dollop of pesto.