Classic Neapolitan Genovese Sauce

Genoese sauce with chopped onion and pork in extra virgin olive oil

Did you know that... the original recipe is said to have been created by a Genoese cook working for a noble Neapolitan family. The cook needed a dish that she could cook for hours so that she could serve it to her family when she returned home. Thus was born sugo alla genovese, a rich and tasty dish that has earned a place of honour in Italian cuisine. The history of sugo alla genovese is just one of the many curiosities surrounding this sauce.

Ramata onion (78%), beef (7%), extra virgin olive oil (6%), whole sea salt, white wine, parmesan cheese, carrots, celery, pepper, rosemary, bay leaf.

The classic Neapolitan genovese sauce is a traditional condiment of the Neapolitan culinary culture. It is a white sauce with a generous portion of onions typical of the Genoese recipe. Some variations of this sauce include cherry tomatoes, a little tomato paste, lard and butter.

Also try the vegan version of the Neapolitan genovese sauce.

Ziti alla genovese: the original recipe for Neapolitan pasta

Nothing goes better with Genoese sauce than ziti, a cylindrical pasta a little thinner than rigatoni.

Let's see what ingredients are used in this Genoese recipe:

• Ziti: our Gragnano ziti are perfect for Neapolitan Genovese pasta.
• Golden onions
• Baby carrots
• Bay leaves
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Black pepper
• Beef
• Celery
• Flat Parsley
• White wine
• Fine salt
• Parmesan cheese PDO

How to prepare the Genovese recipe

• The first step in preparing the Neapolitan Genovese sauce is to cut the carrots and onions into slices, place them in a bowl and chop them.
• Next, clean and chop the celery and remove the fat from the meat by cutting it into several pieces.
• Tie the celery, the parsley and the bay leaf together with kitchen string; at the same time, put the onions in a pan and fry them in oil, add the celery and the carrots and leave them to flavour for a few minutes.
• Add the meat, salt and herbs and cook for at least 3 hours, then add the wine, remove the herbs and stir.
• Leave the meat to cook uncovered for an hour, stirring frequently and adding the wine, then remove the meat and cook the pasta.
• When the pasta is cooked, return to the pan, add a few spoonfuls of the cooking liquid, stir and serve with the crumbled meat, pepper and parmesan.

What is Sugo Alla Genovese?

This sauce, made with onion and beef, is a dish rich in beneficial nutrients for the body. In fact, the onion used to make Sugo alla Genovese is rich in flavonoids, antioxidants that help prevent cellular ageing and protect the heart. Beef is also an important source of protein, iron and B vitamins, which help maintain a healthy immune system and prevent disease.