One-Tray Caramelized Onion & Garlic Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 large onions (Thinly sliced)
• 1 whole garlic head (Slice about 1/4 inch from the top; edible cloves only counted for weight)
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp salt (Plus an additional sprinkle for the garlic and more to taste if needed)
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 5 tbsp olive oil (Use 4 tablespoons for the onions and 1 tablespoon for the garlic)
• water (A splash added during each onion toss to prevent burning)
• 12 oz pasta (Pasta of choice)
• pasta water (Reserve up to 1 cup before draining; add as needed)
• 1.5 cup cream or coconut milk (Room temperature; use either cream or coconut milk)
• 2 tbsp chili crisp (The source specifies Momofuku chili crisp; reserve additional unquantified amount for finishing)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (Optional)
• 0.5 lemon juice (Juice of 1/2 lemon)
• 0.5 cup fresh Parmesan cheese (Grated; reserve additional unquantified amount for finishing)
• fresh parsley (Optional, for finishing)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the thinly sliced onions in a baking dish.

2. 2

   Add the paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and 4 tablespoons of the olive oil to the onions. Toss until the onions are evenly coated.

3. 3

   Slice approximately 1/4 inch from the top of the garlic head to expose the cloves. Drizzle the exposed garlic with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle it with salt.

4. 4

   Place the garlic cut-side up on top of the seasoned onions. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil.

5. 5

   Bake for 1 hour. Toss the onions every 20 minutes, for two tosses total, adding a splash of water each time to prevent them from burning. The finished onions should be deep golden and jammy.

6. 6

   While the onions and garlic bake, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Before draining, reserve up to 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

7. 7

   Remove the roasted garlic from the baking dish and let it cool slightly. Squeeze the softened roasted garlic cloves into the caramelized onions.

8. 8

   Add the chili crisp, room-temperature cream or coconut milk, optional soy sauce, lemon juice, grated Parmesan, and cooked pasta to the baking dish.

9. 9

   Toss everything together until combined. Add reserved pasta water as needed until the sauce is glossy and saucy. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.

10. 10

    Finish with additional Parmesan, chili crisp, and fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

The source suggests serving the pasta with chicken, shrimp, or tofu. The extra finishing quantities for Parmesan and chili crisp are not specified. The source does not provide a precise amount of pasta water beyond reserving up to 1 cup, or a separate cooling time for the roasted garlic.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• vegetarian
• one-tray
• oven-baked
• creamy
• spicy
• comfort food