L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 22 L'Italo-Americano D e s p i t e i t s name, pasta a l l a G e n - o v e s e i s a t r a d i t i o n a l dish of Neapolitan cuisine. The dish, also referred to simply as la Genovese, is characterized by its white sauce made from onions and b e e f , a n d i t i s c o m m o n l y used to dress pasta, particu- larly ziti or mezzane. The true origin of Pasta alla Genovese is surrounded by various theories, many of which dismiss the idea that it comes from Genoa. The most popular, but far from being certain, is that it was brought to Naples by anony- m o u s G e n o e s e c o o k s w o r k i n g i n t h e p o r t c i t y between the 14th and 15th c e n t u r i e s . C u r i o u s l y , though, the dish is unknown in Genoa despite its name. Another plausible theory is that the name "Genovese" could refer to its creator, as Genovese is a common sur- n a m e i n t h e C a m p a n i a region. Another option still s u g g e s t s t h a t d u r i n g t h e Aragonese era (15th centu- ry), many eateries near the port served this popular dish to Genoese sailors who fre- quented the area. However, a more credible hypothesis suggests that the dish's name might be linked t o S w i s s m e r c e n a r i e s from the Geneva region, who were present in Naples during the period when the f i r s t t r a c e s o f t h e r e c i p e appeared: these mercenar- ies' cuisine heavily featured onions, which could explain the dish's primary ingredi- e n t a n d i t s n a m e d e r i v e d from the word Geneva or its French equivalent, Genève. The earliest mention of a recipe similar to pasta alla G e n o v e s e i s f o u n d i n t h e Liber de Coquina, one of the first cookbooks of the Latin W e s t , w r i t t e n i n N a p l e s between the 13th and 14th centuries. It describes a stew of onions with chicken or o t h e r m e a t s a n d g r a t e d cheese, used to dress Tria Ianuensis (Genoese pasta). This connection would sug- gest, then, that pasta alla Genovese is one of the oldest p a s t a s a u c e s s t i l l i n u s e today in Italian culinary tra- dition. The confusion around the name "Genovese" extends to the dish's development over centuries: In the 19th centu- ry, alla Genovese and alla Napoletana both referred to meat sauces used in pasta d i s h e s . H o w e v e r , t h e s e terms began to diverge as the recipes evolved, with the G e n o v e s e s a u c e f o c u s e d i n c r e a s i n g l y o n o n i o n s , while the Neapolitan ragù incorporated tomatoes and pork, distinguishing the two further. The primary ingredients of our recipe include beef, a large quantity of onions, car- rots, celery, white wine, and extra virgin olive oil. The dish typically uses cuts of beef suitable for long, slow cooking, such as eye round or other tougher cuts that become tender over time. Onions play a crucial role, often using varieties like the Montoro onion, known for their sweetness and aroma. The preparation involves slowly cooking the beef and onions together until they create a creamy, fragrant sauce: carrots and celery are sautéed in olive oil, then the meat is added and browned. The dish is deglazed with white wine, and onions are added to cook slowly, some- times for several hours. This long cooking process allows the onions to break down completely, creating a rich, flavorful sauce used to dress p a s t a l i k e z i t i o r b r o k e n m a c c h e r o n i b e i n g a m o n g t h e f a v o r i t e . T h e p a s t a absorbs the strong flavors of t h e s a u c e , m a k i n g f o r a hearty and satisfying meal. S o m e v a r i a t i o n s o f t h e recipe might include a small amount of tomato or milk towards the end to adjust the texture and flavor, but traditionally, la Genovese is a tomato-less "white" sauce . Pasta alla Genovese is the demonstration of how hum- ble ingredients can be trans- formed into culinary plea- s u r e s , a n d a p e r f e c t embodiment of Italy's cuci- na povera, the tradition of creating remarkable dishes from simple, everyday ingre- dients. After all this talking, I got hungry and I think it may be nice to try and make Pasta a l l a G e n o v e s e t o g e t h e r ! Here's a (try and tested by yours truly!) version of the traditional recipe taken from La Cucina Italiana. Let us know how it turns out! Ingredients (for four people) 6 ½ c u p s o f g o l d e n onions, sliced 3 ½ cups of beef, diced 320 grams (about 2 cups) of ziti pasta (you can go for 400 grams, if you are really hungry!) ½ cup of dry white wine ½ cup of chopped celery ½ cup of chopped carrot A couple of bay leaves Some parsley Parmigiano Reggiano or c a c i o c a v a l l o ( g r a t e d , t o taste) Extra virgin olive oil Salt Black pepper Step 1 For a traditional Pasta alla Genovese, start by thin- l y s l i c i n g t h e o n i o n s a n d finely chopping the celery and carrots for the soffritto. Reserve the celery leaves for the aromatic bundle. Cook t h e c e l e r y , c a r r o t s , a n d onions with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. After 8 minutes, add a pinch of salt and the aromatic bundle made from the celery leaves, a sprig of parsley, and a bay leaf tied together with kitchen twine. Step 2 Cut the beef into pieces and add it to the vegetables. Sear the meat for 2 minutes, t h e n l e t e v e r y t h i n g c o o k together for 2 hours. The o n i o n s w i l l r e l e a s e t h e i r water, so no additional liq- uid is needed. After 2 hours, add the white wine and cook f o r a n o t h e r h o u r . B y t h e end, the meat will be very t e n d e r . S h r e d t h e m e a t , using half to dress the pasta and the other half for sand- wiches. Step 3 Break the ziti into thirds, ensuring they are neither too short nor too long. Cook the p a s t a i n p l e n t y o f s a l t e d water, drain it, and then add it to the pan with the onion sauce. Mix well and distrib- ute the pasta onto plates. Top with the shredded meat, g r a t e d c h e e s e , a n d b l a c k pepper. Pasta alla Genovese, a genoese from Naples LUCA SIGNORINI A delicious bowl of pasta alla Genovese (Photo: Funandrejs/Dreamstime) LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES OPEN 8AM - 5PM MONDAY TO SATURDAY. SUNDAY CLOSED

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