The Genoese meat sauce, known as "tocco," serves as both a first and second course. This beef stew, made with herbs and tomato sauce, has ancient origins and has captivated musicians and authors who have referenced it in their works. Ravioli is often served with this sauce, but it should not be called 'ragù.' Tocco is a slow-cooked meat sauce made with a single piece of meat, slow-cooked with tomato sauce and herbs, showcasing the unique Genoese touch. While it may resemble ragù, there are important distinctions. Unlike the Bolognese and Neapolitan recipes, which use ground meat, Tocco is made with a single piece of meat. This allows it to be used either to season pasta or served as a hearty second course. In Genoa and the rest of Liguria, there are plenty of holidays that celebrate this dish.
Those who are not locals may have some questions when reading the menu items at superb trattorias, which feature a variety of dishes seasoned with "tócchi." In Genoa, this term has become deeply rooted over time and is associated with various types of sauces. As Fabrizio De André (a famous cantatore in Italy) sings in his song "Crêuza de mä," he mentions "lasagne da fiddià ai quattru tucchi." We are talking about an ancient dish that dates back to a time when meat, especially beef, was considered a luxury. As a result, once prepared, it was used in many ways. Like all historical recipes, there is no definitive information about its creation. However, it is known that the "Cuciniera Genovese," an encyclopaedic work by Giovan Battista Ratto published in 1863, includes an entire section dedicated to "Sauces or dips (Tócchi)."
A great admirer was Niccolò Paganini, the great Genoese violinist: in a letter to his friend Luigi Germi, now preserved at the Library of Congress in Washington, he tells how raieü co-o tócco (ravioli with the touch) is prepared. His advice — a little flour to make the sauce thick and mortared mushrooms to give flavor — are still very useful.
Ingredients:
500 g gravy meat (sub-pan); 500 ml Tomato puree; 150 ml Broth; 100 ml Red wine; Half a carrot; Half an onion; Half Celery; 30 g Dried mushrooms; 30 g pine nuts; 1 sprig of rosemary; 2 bay leaves; Extra virgin olive oil; Salt
Preparation:
Place the dried mushrooms in warm water and leave them to soak for 10 minutes. Finely chop the carrot, celery and onion. Place three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan (preferably terracotta) and heat it. Cook the sauce for a few minutes. Add the piece of meat and brown it on all sides. Pour in the red wine and let it evaporate. Add the tomato sauce, the broth, the bay leaf, the rosemary tied with string, the well-squeezed dried mushrooms and the pine nuts. Reduce the heat to minimum and leave to simmer for about 3 or 4 hours until the sauce has reduced a little and the meat is very soft. Remove the rosemary and bay leaves.S eason the ravioli with the Genoese tuccu sauce and serve the meat as a second course. Two meals out of one dish!!! Grazie a Giallo Zafferano!
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