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Pasta with Caramelized Onions & Blue Cheese

Here’s a simple supper to make in the chill of fall or winter, when the sweetness of the onions and the richness of the cheese is comforting.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 pound chunky pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups chopped onions
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine, vegetable broth, or water
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese (1 cup)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a large covered pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.

    Step 2

    Meanwhile, in a skillet on medium heat, warm the oil and cook the onions with the salt and pepper until soft, golden brown, and lightly caramelized. (The larger your skillet, the faster the onions will caramelize. In a 12- or 14-inch skillet, the process may take less than 10 minutes. In a smaller skillet in which the onions are crowded, it could take 20 minutes.) Add the wine, broth, or water and continue to cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is done. If the onions begin to stick, add some pasta-cooking water.

    Step 3

    When the pasta is done, drain it, reserving a cup of the hot water. Place the pasta in a serving bowl, add the onions (swirl some of the reserved water around in the skillet to get out every tasty bit) and the blue cheese, and toss together to melt the cheese and coat the pasta. Add more of the pasta-cooking water if you’d like it saucier. Serve hot.

  2. Serving & menu ideas

    Step 4

    A salad with slightly bitter greens goes well with this sweet, rich pasta. Or toss endive with Toasted Pecan Vinaigrette (page 222). Peach Brown Betty (page 268) is a sweet ending.

Cover of the cookbook Moosewood Simple Suppers with a red floral motif.
From Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers: Fresh Ideas for the Weeknight Table. Copyright © 2017 by Moosewood Collective. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. Buy the full book from ThriftBooks or Amazon.
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