Chef John's "salsa genovese" with rigatoni pasta is the best, featuring low-and-slow-simmered chunks of beef, pancetta, and onions for tons of flavor.
Preparation Time
30 mins
Cooking Time
9 hr 25 mins
Total Time
9 hr 55 mins
Calories
891 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook until most of the fat is rendered, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.
Step 2
Add beef chuck and 2 teaspoons salt to the pot. Increase the heat to high; cook and stir until browned and any liquid released begins to evaporate, 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 3
Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add cooked pancetta, celery, carrots, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Add white wine, tomato paste, and bay leaf; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up the drippings from the bottom of the pan.
Step 4
Add yellow and red onions. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 30 minutes without stirring. After 30 minutes, stir onions and meat until well mixed. Cover again and cook for 30 more minutes.
Step 5
Stir, then reduce the heat to low. Keep uncovered and cook, occasionally stirring and skimming off any fat, until beef and onions seem to melt into each other, 8 to 10 hours. If the sauce is reducing too much, add water or broth as needed to maintain a sauce-like consistency.
Step 6
When the sauce is almost finished, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until just barely al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain.
Step 7
Add rigatoni to the sauce and cook until heated through. Garnish with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, marjoram, and cayenne.
