Orechiette Pasta with Red Onion
Submitted by tessam
Orecchiette pasta tossed with slow-cooked red onions, anchovies, garlic, and fresh oregano. Rustic Southern Italian one-pan sauce that uses pasta water to bind it all together.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
35 minREADY
45 minA rustic Puglian pasta where the sauce is mostly slow-cooked red onion and not much else. The onions start in a covered pan with water, which steams them tender before they ever see direct heat, then the lid comes off and they brown into something deeply sweet and almost jammy.
Anchovies melt into that base when you add them at the end, dissolving into the onions without leaving any fishy bite, just a deep savory backbone. A ladle of starchy pasta water pulls it all into a glossy coating that clings to every cup-shaped orecchiette.
Fresh oregano matters here. Dried oregano tastes dusty against the sweet onions, while fresh leaves bring a peppery lift that keeps the whole plate from feeling heavy.
Pro Tips
- Slice the onions thin and even. Thick chunks won’t soften in the same time and you’ll end up with raw bites against melted ones.
- Don’t skip the covered steam-then-brown method. It coaxes sweetness out of the onions that quick sauteing can’t.
- Reserve the pasta water before draining. The starch is what turns this from naked pasta into something with body.
- If your anchovies are very salty, taste before adding the half teaspoon of salt. You may not need it.
Variations
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic for a hit of heat.
- Swap orecchiette for cavatelli or shells, anything with cups to catch the onion bits.
- Finish with toasted breadcrumbs in place of parmesan for a dairy-free version with crunch.
Ingredients
Directions
Bring about 3 quarts of water to a boil in a pot.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan.
When it is hot, add the onions and 1 cup water; mix well and bring the mixture to a boil.
Then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes, until the water evaporates.
Remove the lid and cook the onions for 5 minutes over high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and return the water to a boil, stirring the pasta occasionally at first so it doesn’t stick together or to the pot.
Cook the pasta for 12 minutes, or until firm to the bite (al dente).
Remove ¾ cup of the pasta cooking liquid from the pot and reserve it.
Add the anchovies, garlic and oregano to the onions in the saucepan, mix well and stir in the salt, pepper and the reserved pasta cooking liquid.
Drain the pasta well and add it to the onion mixture.
Toss to mix, then divide among 6 plates.
Serve topped with the parmesan.
Comments
