Paula's Pasta alla Genovese
Happy Holiday Saturday, everyone!
I’m sure a lot of you have had kids move back home for the summer, just as I have. After a long year during the pandemic at SDSU in Brookings, it was time for two of my girls to move back home. Lots of visits at the lake house and extra FaceTime helped us get through the past school year and now, once again, we are all back in the same state!
Once back together, one of the things we had to catch up on is this fabulous new docuseries, “David Roccos Dolce Napoli”. David invites us to look at the lifestyle AND cuisine of Naples, Italy, and I can tell you it is nothing less than mesmerizing. Talk about getting inspiration for the kitchen! In one episode, he creates a huge pot of a dish called Pasta alla Genovese. (Once I saw the horrible knives they had in the kitchen I had to stop and laugh knowing I wasn’t alone!) They don’t actually give you the recipe so after a lot of stopping and starting I created my own version of this amazing pasta. Lots of sliced onions, seared chuck roast and pancetta, and of course a whole bunch of white wine! Plan ahead... you want lots of time for this sauce to simmer and get thick and luscious.
If you can, try to watch of few of the stories he shares. The people and the food just make you happy. And... it may inspire you to get creative in the kitchen as well!
Have a safe and fabulous weekend sweet friends...
xoxo,
Paula
Paula’s Pasta alla Genovese
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 lbs. Chuck roast, trimmed
1 lb. Pancetta, cubed
2 large Yellow onions, sliced
1 Red onion, sliced
2 Carrots, minced
2 Celery, minced
1 Bay leaf
2 tbsp. Tomato paste
1 bottle White wine (yes, one bottle!)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Short tubular pasta of any kind
In a large pot over medium high, heat up the olive oil. Generously salt and pepper your chuck and sear on all sides in the pot. Remove from the pot and set aside. Once cool enough to handle, cut into large cubes. Add the pancetta to the pot to get browned, but not all the way crisp. Once done add in all of your onions. (It will be a lot!) Once your onions soften, add your carrot, celery and cook until those get soft too. Lastly, add in your tomato paste, bay leaf, and your cut up chuck roast. Combine and cook for 1-2 min. and then add in your wine, getting all the good stuff off the bottom of your pot. Turn heat down to low and simmer at least 3 hours. The longer the better! It will thicken and everything will melt all together in one glorious sauce.
Before serving, cook your pasta to al dente (save some cooking water) Once done drain and put right into your sauce pot and combine, adding pasta water to desired sauce thickness. (Usually 1/2 cup or so)
Serve in bowls with plenary of freshly grated Parmesan. Enjoy!