Caramelised Onion + Brown Butter Pasta

Ingredients

• 320 g Pasta of choice (Malfadine recommended; reserve some pasta water)
• 2 Brown onions (Large, sliced into half moons)
• 4 Garlic cloves (Minced)
• 280 g Sun dried tomatoes (Finely chopped)
• 30 g Fresh parsley (Finely chopped, divided)
• 100 g Butter (Salted (Flora brand used in source); 2 tbsp used for browning onions initially)
• 100 ml Double cream (Flora double used in source)
• 4 tbsp Nutritional yeast (Used instead of parmesan)
• Salt (For pasta water and seasoning onions)
• Black pepper (To taste)
• Olive oil (A splash for the pan)
• Chilli oil (For garnish)
• Chives (For garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Slice the onions into half moons.

2. 2

   Warm a splash of olive oil in a pan on a medium high heat and melt in 2 tbsp of the butter. Allow the butter to foam and brown, stirring regularly for 2-3 minutes until it releases a nutty aroma.

3. 3

   Add the sliced onions and a large pinch of salt to the pan.

4. 4

   Cook the onions on a medium heat, stirring regularly. Add a splash of water if they begin sticking to the pan. Continue cooking for at least 20 minutes until they are golden, softened, and fully caramelised.

5. 5

   While the onions cook, mince the garlic and finely chop the sun-dried tomatoes.

6. 6

   Once the onions have caramelised, add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Stir to combine and sauté for a further 1-2 minutes. Season with black pepper.

7. 7

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to package instructions until al dente.

8. 8

   Pour the cream and nutritional yeast into the onion mixture. Stir well to combine into a sauce.

9. 9

   Once the pasta is al dente, drain it, making sure to reserve some of the pasta water.

10. 10

    Add the cooked pasta to the sauce along with a ladle of the reserved pasta water. Stir and toss well to create a thick, glossy sauce that coats the pasta.

11. 11

    Finely chop the parsley and add half of it to the pasta, mixing well.

12. 12

    Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if needed, then serve into bowls.

13. 13

    Finish each bowl with a drizzle of chilli oil and the remaining parsley and chives.

Notes

The author suggests using nutritional yeast as a vegan-friendly alternative to parmesan cheese. If the onions stick during the long caramelisation process, small splashes of water help deglaze the pan and prevent burning.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• vegetarian
• comfort food
• weeknight dinner
• caramelised onions
• brown butter