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Pasta Genovese Beef Ragu Recipe: My Grandmother Would Be Proud!
Today, we're making a dish thatâll make you forget all your troubles: Pasta Genovese with a beef ragu. This beauty hails from Naples, and itâs a classic thatâs hearty, meaty, and oh-so-simple to whip up. Iâve added a few twistsâbecause why not?âand I promise youâll be licking your plate clean. Weâre talking tender beef that falls apart with a wink, onions that melt into sweet perfection, and a sauce so good youâll want to call it family. Grab your pots, friends, because weâre making something spectacular!
đĽ 6 Servingsđ¤ Chef Jean-Pierređ chefjeanpierre
đĽ Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
đł Cookware
- pot
- dutch oven
- oven
- pan
- grater
- wooden spoon
- bowl
đ Preparation Steps
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1) SautĂŠ the Bacon (or Pancetta):
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Fire up a big pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and toss in the diced bacon. Let it sizzle until itâs crispy and gives up all that glorious fat. Scoop it out and set it asideâleave the fat behind, friends, itâs flavor central! (Tip: If your baconâs stingy with fat, splash in some oilâno big deal.)
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2) Brown the Beef:
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Season your beef chunks with salt and pepper like theyâre heading to a fancy dinner. Crank the heat to medium-high and sear them in the bacon fat until theyâre golden brown all over. Big pieces are fineâtheyâll fall apart later. Once theyâre gorgeous, pull them out and set them aside. (Special Technique: This is the Maillard reaction, friendsâbrown means flavor, and weâre not messing around!)
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3) Caramelize the Onions:
Onions, sliced4 pounds
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In a separate pan, heat up some clarified butter or oil over medium heat. Add your sliced onionsâcut them about 3mm thick, not too small, not too big. Cook them low and slow, stirring now and then, until theyâre a deep, golden brown. Takes about 20ââąď¸ 30 minutes, but itâs worth it. Set them aside. (Chefâs Twist: Tradition skips this, but caramelized onions beat raw ones any dayâtrust me, itâs like hamburger heaven!)
Onions, sliced4 pounds
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4) Make the Soffritto:
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Back in the beef pot, toss in your diced carrots and celery. Sweat them over medium heat for 5ââąď¸ 7 minutes until they soften up. (Pro Trick: Small dice too tricky? Grate the carrots with a cheese graterâboom, easy soffritto!)
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5) Add Garlic and Tomato Paste:
Tomato Paste2 tablespoons
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Stir in the minced garlic and let it perfume the air for a minute. Then add the tomato paste and sautĂŠ it for 2ââąď¸ 3 minutesâitâs gotta wake up and sing! (AnotherTwist: No tomatoes in the old recipe, but this adds depthâdonât tell my grandma!)
Tomato Paste2 tablespoons
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6) Deglaze with Wine:
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Pour in the white wine (red works too, live a little!) and scrape up all those tasty browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let it simmer a few minutes until it reduces a bit. (Fun Fact: Tradition says white, but I say use whatâs openâdeglazingâs the key here!)
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7) Reunite the Bacon and Beef:
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Toss the crispy bacon and browned beef back into the pot. Give it a stirâitâs a happy reunion!
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8) Add Stock and Bay Leaf:
Bay leaf1
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Pour in the beef stock and drop in the bay leaf. Bring it to a gentle simmer. (Stock Note: Homemade? Youâre a star. Store-bought? Still delicious.)
Beef Stock2 cupsBay leaf1
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9) Layer on the Onions:
Onions, sliced4 pounds
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Pile those caramelized onions on top like a big, cozy blanket. Donât mix them in yetâjust let them sit there looking pretty.
Onions, sliced4 pounds
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10) Low and Slow Cooking:
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Cover the pot and turn the heat down to super lowâthink âbloop bloop bloop.â Let it cook for 2.5 to 3.âąď¸ 5 hours, checking every âąď¸ 45 minutes or so to make sure itâs not sticking. Or pop it in a 350°F oven for âąď¸ 3 hoursâcheck after an hour, just in case. (Patience Alert: This is where the meat gets so soft it practically meltsâdonât rush it!)
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11) Cook the Pasta:
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When the ragu is almost ready, boil your pasta in salted water per the package. Save a cup of that starchy pasta water before drainingâitâs gold, friends!
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12) Finish the Sauce:
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Once the meatâs falling apart, stir in the chopped basil. Taste itâadd salt and pepper if needed, but go easy; the cheese is coming. (Basil Bonus: Not traditional, but itâs better with itâdonât argue, just eat!)
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13) Marry the Pasta and Ragu:
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Toss the cooked pasta with the ragu in the pot or a big bowl. Add a splash of pasta water to help the sauce stick like glue. (Pro Move: That starchy water is the secret to a silky sauceâdonât skip it!)
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14) Add the Cheese:
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Mixin some grated Pecorino Romanoâstart light, taste as you go. (Cheese Warning: Itâs salty, so donât overdo it, or youâll be chugging water all night!)
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15) Serve It Up!
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Plate your masterpiece, sprinkle on more cheese, and top with a few basil leavesâtear them by hand if youâre feeling fancy. Put a chunk of that tender meat right on topâgorgeous, right?
Nutrition Facts
calories
904.86 kcal
fat Content
36.22 g
serving Size
1 serving
fiber Content
8.45 g
sugar Content
16.95 g
sodium Content
714.27 mg
protein Content
51.82 g
trans Fat Content
1.09 g
cholesterol Content
137.94 mg
carbohydrate Content
90.23 g
saturated Fat Content
14.46 g
unsaturated Fat Content
20.71 g
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