PASTA
WITH ARUGULA, CARAMELIZED ONIONS, AND PINE NUTS
Adapted from
The Moosewood Cookbook
Preparation time: About 1 -1/4 hours (most of it
cooking time)
Yield: About 4 servings
Sweet caramelized onions are a good foil for the edgy
bitterness of arugula.
- The proportions of ingredients in this
delicious recipe are somewhat flexible. You can play with the
amounts of onions and arugula, and you can also add other leafy
greens that blend well with arugula (spinach comes to mind) and
make this an even greener dish. When arugula is abundant at the
produce market and it looks really good, I sometimes like to double
the amount. It's intense!
- The degree to which you cook the onions is also negotiable. The
minimum amount of time they'll need to sweeten up is about 25
minutes, but you can cook them for up to an hour if you like them
sublime and you have the time. (I didn't mean that to rhyme!)
- Olive oil and butter combine to make a complex backdrop for
caramelized onions. However, if you prefer not to use butter, you
can use all olive oil.
- The alcoholic content of the wine will dissipate with cooking.
If you prefer not to use wine, you can use a good-flavored
vegetable broth, like Imagine brand.
- You can create your own variations on this recipe. Try adding
some crumbled goat cheese to the sauce at the very end of the
cooking.
- You can make the sauce through Step 3 up to a day ahead.
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 to 6 large onions (about 6 to 8 cups)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 cup white wine or vegetable broth
1 medium bunch arugula, stems trimmed and leaves chopped
3/4 pound pasta (a short, shapely variety, like penne or
fusilli)
1 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
Grated parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Balsamic Drizzle (optional) - recipe follows
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or sautÚ pan and
melt in the butter.
- Add the onions to the pan, and sautÚ over medium heat
for about 15 minutes. Add salt, lower the heat, and continue to
cook for at least another 10 minutes (and up to an hour for a
really sweet result!)
- When the onions are done to your liking, add the wine or broth,
turn the heat back up to medium and simmer uncovered for about 15
minutes. The liquid will largely get absorbed/evaporate. At this
point the sauce can be set aside until you are ready to cook the
pasta.
- When you are ready to cook the pasta, put up the pasta water
and return the sauce to the heat. (Make sure the sauce is in a
large enough pan to accommodate the pasta.) While the pasta cooks,
and after the onions are hot again, add the arugula to the onions
and stir it in. Let it cook in the onions for only about 2 to 3
minutes.
- Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the sauce. Stir briefly in
the pan before serving. Serve hot or warm, topped with parmesan,
pine nuts, and balsamic drizzle.
BALSAMIC DRIZZLE