Pasta alla Genovese

Pasta alla Genovese. Despite its name, the Genovese has nothing to do with Liguria. It is a 100% Neapolitan dish. There are various theories on the origin of the name of the dish, some believe that it is connected to the Genoese cooks present in Naples in the Aragonese period, in the fifteenth century, who cooked meat-based pasta sauces. This sauce is mentioned as “raguetto” in Cavalcanti’s famous recipe book in the 19th century, although in a less elaborate version.

The recipe, as it is known today, most likely dates back to the second half of the 19th century, and is the poor version of the classic ragù. This is a typical first course in Neapolitan cuisine its importance equal to that of ragù: Genoese sauce can be considered a white ragù, with the addition of many onions.

The onions are cooked for a long time, until they become soft and create an exquisite puree, with a sweet but strong flavor. The preparation of Genoese pasta is quite simple, it only takes a little time and patience, because you have to peel and cut a large amount of onions and wait for the meat to reach the optimal point of cooking, generally more than an hour. The result repays all the efforts, not only for the unique and rich flavor of this dish but also because this preparation actually gives you two dishes in one, a first and a second.