Caramelised Onion & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
Sometimes, you just need something wholesome. It’s kind of neat when you can make something wholesome and healthy, and this simple meal ticks both boxes.
On a recent trip to Germany, an American friend of mine was trying to explain a dish they had eaten in Italy as part of their trip around Europe: creamy sweet onions with pasta as a vegetarian (but not vegan) option in a restaurant; this interpretation uses coconut milk (as opposed to cream) to tick the vegan box, but feel free to swap proper cream in.
Made with ingredients you’re likely to have in the kitchen (perhaps except coconut milk, but hey – you should get some as it is so versatile…) and with no meat and if you’re using wheat-free non-egg pasta, you could even roll a version of this out that was vegan and gluten-free – a triple threat meal if ever there was one.
Onion choice? Dealers. I often mix regular onions with red to give them some colour; I have been known to throw a shallot in if I have an aged one coming to the end of its life. There aren’t really any rules; they make most cooking complicated.
Finally, pasta choices are discussed too much. Sure, some things demand long pasta, and some go better with smaller types. For this dish, just use what you fancy. I like rigatoni myself (loading the tubes with goodness is a passion of mine), but anything will do. Oh, and cook it how you like. With bite? Soggy as hell? You’re the boss.
Caramelised Onion & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta (serves 4)
Ingredients You Need:
- 3 decent sized onions
- Bulb of garlic
- Medium jar of sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- Half a tin of coconut milk (or equivalent of cream if you’re not fussed)
- Large handful of chopped parsley (leaf type up to you)
- Paprika
- Italian seasoning
- 1 lemon
- Olive oil (if the tomatoes don’t have a ton of oil with them)
- Salt & Pepper
- Dried pasta of your choice – 400g will generously serve 4
Gear You’ll Need:
- Large heavy dish, hob and oven-safe
- Sharp cooks knife
- Foil for covering
- Large pan for boiling pasta
- Colander for draining pasta
- Stirring gadgets of your choice
How To Make It:
- Get your oven on at 180° (centigrade)
- Peel and slice the onions; a thin but rustic slice will work well
- Slice the top of the bulb of garlic
- Chop up (fairly finely) your parsley
- Pop the dish on the hob on a medium gas and sling the onions in alongside the sun-dried tomatoes with all their oil
- Season with a decent amount of salt and pepper and sprinkle in a hefty amount of Italian Seasoning and a decent sprinkle of paprika
- Turn the onions over well to coat in all that lovely seasoning
- Nestle the bulb of garlic in the dish amongst the onions – give it a little drizzle of oil if there isn’t sufficient to dip it in and crack some salt on the top
- Cover with foil and roast for 45-60mins depending on how hot and even your oven is. Take a peek at 45 – if everything looks caramelised and gooey, you’re golden
- At 30mins, get some water on to cook your pasta, once the water is boiling, chuck the pasta in and add some salt
- Cook the pasta and drain
- When all is caramelised in the oven, rescue the dish from the oven and discard the foil
- Squeeze the garlic out of the husk and give it a mash so that it can be stirred through the onions – do this and add the juice of the lemon
- Once the lemon juice and garlic are stirred through, add the parsley and the coconut milk and stir through again (this is why you want a heavy dish, the residual heat is doing the work for you)
- Stir in the drained pasta, ensuring you coat every last morsel
- Give it a taste and add seasoning to your preference
- Serve and Enjoy!
WorkTop Tips:
- When you drain the pasta, drizzle some oil (or melted butter if you’re a maniac) to stop it sticking
- If you’re lucky enough to be using fresh pasta, adjust the amount you use accordingly
- As always – don’t add salt to your water until it’s boiling (saves your pans) and preferably after you add the pasta (cooks more evenly)
Wine Pairing:
Simple dishes need simple pairings. Just some sparkling water for this one. It’s a midweek family feed after all!
Photo by Quin Engle on Unsplash