Once again, I’m back with another episode of my “Sauces you can make before your Pasta cooks” series, and I keep surprising myself every time I come up with one of these. I was genuinely surprised the first time one of these episodes did well on my Instagram page (@rice.some) because from a creator/cook standpoint, these videos take a little more time than what it takes to make one of these dishes on a normal weekday. I am done with the whole filming process in around 15-25 mins and have a plate of pasta by the end. It’s a win-win for both of us.
RIGHT. Recipe tips (I keep stalling). Onions are supposed to be caramelized very gently and on low heat for long periods of time. This is the traditional way, and it unlocks a sort of super flavor from them that is deeply rich, sweet, and complex. But that’s for someone living in a utopia. I’m guessing you are here because you want to prepare dinner in 15 mins, finish watching an episode of an overrated sitcom, promise yourself that you’ll sleep while subconsciously reserving your bedtime for doom-scrolling, and wake up in a panic the next morning. I GET YOU. That’s why, crank the heat up high on your pan, and brown these onions with some fat, and keep adding splashes of water in between to soften and caramelize them. And once that’s done, it’s a cakewalk on the…..pasta pavement……….I’m sorry, don’t ignore me because of this joke.
Ingredients
- 70 gms of Spaghetti (or any other Pasta shape)
- 2 tbsp of Olive Oil
- One red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp Butter
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 3-4 garlic cloves chopped
- 70-80 gms of Fresh Cream (Dairy-free alternative: Coconut milk; anything that thickens quickly while reducing)
- 1 tbsp of Dried or fresh herbs
- 1 tsp of Chilli Flakes (you can use chilli oil as well)
- 1-2 slices of Processed cheese (or any other creamy cheeses that you like)
- Salt & Pepper
- (Optional) A grating of Parmesan cheese (Or any other cheese)
Procedure
- Add the spaghetti to a pot of heavily salted boiling water. Make sure the water is filled so the pasta can dance. Otherwise, it clumps together and makes it difficult to mix later.
- In a frying pan on high heat, add some olive oil and the thinly sliced onions. Add the butter, salt, and sugar and mix everything. Let the onions brown for a sec before adding some water and mixing it again.
- Let them brown again, and repeat this step 2-3 times or until the onions are caramelised to a deep brown colour.
- Now, add the herbs and chilli flakes. Mix it again, reduce the heat, and once the pan has cooled slightly, add the cream. This is to ensure that the cream doesn’t split.
- Mix and add some water if necessary. Let it simmer & reduce, and add a slice of processed cheese. Mix again to combine.
- Drain the spaghetti and save some of the pasta water before draining. Add the pasta and the water to your sauce and mix it on low-medium heat until everything is combined and smooth. Check for seasoning and add any salt or pepper if necessary.
- Take it out onto a plate and garnish with some olive oil, black pepper, and grated parmesan cheese.