Where are you Fall?
We’ve been well into Fall for over a month now but it seems like we’ve been waiting forever for the temperature to cool down and align with the dates on the calendar. That is making things a bit challenging when it comes to figuring out what to eat each night. Summer crops are out of season but it’s too warm for a heavy, cold-weather meal. That’s what makes this dish, Pasta with Caramelized Onions, a perfect transition dish to keep you going while you wait for the cold to set in. Onions on their own are quite light but caramelization process transforms them into a rich, hearty accent that is perfect for the next not cold/not hot night, especially if you accompany it with a nice glass of wine.
The recipe below is broken out into two parts – first to make the caramelized onions and the second to make the pasta dish. The caramelized onions can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to one months. My only caveat is you should think twice about making caramelized onions if you live in a tiny house, at least according to The New York Times.
Not to heavy, not to light, and super easy to make Pasta with Caramelized Onions.
Caramelized Onions
Ingredients
3 pounds of onions, cut in half and sliced through the root end 1/4 inch thick
3/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon water
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
Step 1
Bring onions, 3/4 cup water, oil and salt to boil in 12-inch non-stick skillet over high heat. Cover and cook until water has evaporated an onions start to sizzle, about 10 minutes.
Step 2
Uncover, reduce heat to medium-high, and use rubber spatula to gently press onions into sides and bottom of skillet. Cooke, without stirring onions, for 30 seconds. Stir onions, scraping fond from skillet, then gently press onions into sides and bottom of skillet again. Repeat pressing, cooking, and stirring until onions are softened, well browned, and slightly sticky, 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 3
Combine baking soda and remaining 1 Tablespoon water in bowl. Stir baking soda solution into onions and cook, stirring constantly, ntil solution has evaporated, about 1 minutes. Transfer onions to bowl.
Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Pecorino Romano, and Black Pepper
Ingredients
1 pound of pasta (a shape with nooks and crannies, such as campanelle or cavatappi)
Salt and coarsely ground pepper
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups caramelized onions
1 1/2 ounces shredded Pecorino Romano cheese (3/4 cup), plus more for serving
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and Tablespoon of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente (the box will tell you how long to cook until al dente). When done, reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
Step 2
While the pasta cooks, melt butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tablespoon of pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add onions and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are warmed through, about 4 minutes.
Step 3
Add Pecorino, vinegar, onions and 1 cup reserved cooking water to pasta and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, adjusting consistency with remaining reserved cooking water as needed. Use extra Pecorino to garnish when serving.
If you’ve made it all the way down here to take a peak, please leave a note in the Comments section below to let us know what you think!
Tell us what you think!
Please comment below if you try the Blueberry Crumble recipe and let us know how it goes! Find all of Brooklyn to the Catskills‘ recipes in the Food section of our website. We’d love to hear what you think about our other recipes too! And don’t forget to subscribe to Cook’s Illustrated, this is their recipe and they have fantastic content!
