We have a saying in our family – that rules are meant to be broken every once in a while! As a family, we are not too conventional, and so, we like to do things ‘our way.’ This past Easter, we decided to skip the traditional Abruzzo-style lunch (which is absolutely delicious by the way!), and have the one thing that we love the most instead, the quintessential Italian comfort food, (my mother’s) ‘pasta alla Genovese!’ Although you may think that this is a classic dish from Genova, this dish actually has its origins in Naples – the land of never-ending simmering sauces. I should say that my mother makes the best Genovese sauce, and I’m not just saying this because she’s my mother (although as we know only too well – mothers are always right!), but because her Genovese sauce really is absolutely divine! We decided that there wasn’t a more perfect occasion to make this dish than on Easter, and, in a way, it was an opportunity to celebrate the day in our very own way. Naturally, we finished our lunch with a classic Colomba cake and Easter eggs (I suppose we are a little traditional after all!).

STEAMED ASPARAGOUS WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE

Makes 4 portions

Ingredients:

500 g asparagus
Juice from half a lemon
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Less than half a shallot (thinly sliced)
Half a tsp. of Dijon mustard
Zest from one lemon

Hold an asparagus shoot horizontally and break off the ‘drooping’ end, or, to make things even easier, bend the shoot in your hands, and it'll break precisely where it should. Steam the asparagus for about 5-10 minutes, depending on their size. Meanwhile, assemble the vinaigrette, chop the shallot, and leave both aside. Then, in a small bowl, whisk the mustard together with the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and gradually incorporate the olive oil. Keep whisking until all ingredients are perfectly combined before adding the lemon zest and the chopped shallot. Pour the mixture over the asparagus and serve immediately. Enjoy! x

MY MOTHER’S PASTA ALLA GENOVESE:

Makes 4 to 6 portions

Ingredients:

1 kg veal eye fillet cut into medium/small cubes
500 g carrots
1 celery stalk
1 kg gold onions
Half a glass of dry white wine
6 tbsp. olive oil
A bouquet garni of rosemary, bay leaf, and thyme
Salt
Pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. In the meantime, chop the onions and leave aside (you may also blitz them in a food processor). Salt the boiling water, throw in the chopped onions, and let them boil at low/medium heat for about 2 hours. When the onions are nearly done, begin making the soffritto. Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron pot (or a terracotta pot), chop the carrots and celery into fine pieces, then add them to the olive oil and let them brown at low/medium heat. Next, add the cubed veal, season them well, and allow them to brown slightly. Lastly, pour in the white wine, and wait for a few minutes or until the wine has completely evaporated before adding the bouquet garni and incorporating the cooked onions. Using a slotted spoon, gradually pour the onions (with their juices) into the pot. Let the sauce cook at low heat for at least 2 hours or until very tender. If the sauce reduces too much, add extra onion water. Serve your sauce on some pasta (ziti is the classic pasta of choice for this sauce) and sprinkle a generous amount of grated parmesan. Enjoy! x

Untraditional Easter