Penne Pasta with Genovese Sauce Recipe
Servings: 6 - 8 servings
Ingredients
- ¼ pound bacon chopped into ¼ inch pieces
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 rib celery trimmed and chopped
- 2½ pounds beef chuck cut into 2-inch cubes
- 4 pounds red onions thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup olive oil extra virgin
- ¼ cup aromatic herbs basil or parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 pound dried penne pasta
- Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- Start by prepping all the ingredients. This is called mise en place and is one of the most important steps many home cooks skip (including myself) but should not.
- Heat up a large sauce pot over medium heat. When hot, add the bacon and let it cook for a few minutes to render the fat.
- Add the carrots & celery and lower the heat to medium.
- Cook for another 4 or 5 minutes, add the beef, then cook for an additional couple of minutes.
- Cover the beef with the onions, add the oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the aromatic herbs.
- Cover the pan and bring the ingredients to a simmer. The onions release a ton of liquid, creating a lovely simmering liquid. Cook for 2 to 3 hours until the beef is nice and tender.
- Uncover the pot, turn up the heat to medium-high, and bring the sauce to a boil. It's crucial to stir often to prevent burning, which not only maintains the dish's quality but also keeps you engaged in the cooking process. If the pan gets too hot, you may need to adjust the heat from medium-high to medium and back again. This lasts 45 minutes to 1 hour until the meat falls apart and the sauce becomes creamy. It also means you must stay close to the stove and not walk away.(Start thinking about bringing a large pot of water to boil to cook the pasta.)
- Add the wine and give the sauce a stir.
- Lower the heat to low and let the sauce cook for another 10 - 15 minutes until it thickens to the desired consistency. Again, be sure to stir often to keep the sauce from burning.
- Cook the pasta until al dente, drain, and combine with sauce in 1 of 3 ways:1. Add the sauce directly to the sauce pot and gently toss to combine.2. Add the sauce to a large serving bowl, add the pasta, and gently toss to combine again.3. Add individual servings of pasta to bowls and top with some sauce.
- Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve. I like to bring some extra cheese to the table for those who want to add more to their dish.
Notes
Al dente translates to “to the tooth” or “to the bite,” and it means that the pasta should still provide some resistance instead of being completely soft all the way through.