Description
A flavorful pasta dish featuring caramelised red onions and anchovies, enhanced with a zesty lemon and parsley gremolata. This recipe combines sweet, savory, and tangy flavors for a deliciously satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 red onions, thinly sliced
- 200g pappardelle (or any long pasta)
- 2 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 15 twists of black pepper (about ½ tsp)
- Salt, to taste
Gremolata
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 15g parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Caramelise the onions: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced red onions with a large pinch of salt. Cook over medium-low heat for 30-35 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are caramelised and golden brown.
- Prepare the gremolata: While the onions cook, in a small bowl combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, roughly chopped parsley, finely chopped garlic, and a pinch of salt. Mix well and set aside to let the flavors meld.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pappardelle according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 120ml of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
- Add anchovies and tomato purée: Once the onions are caramelised, add the drained anchovy fillets to the pan. Stir gently and let them dissolve into the onions. Then stir in the tomato purée and black pepper, and cook for another 4-5 minutes until the sauce darkens and thickens.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Add the cooked pasta and the reserved pasta water to the pan with the onion and anchovy sauce. Toss well to fully coat the pasta with the sauce.
- Serve with gremolata: Transfer the pasta to a serving platter. Spoon the prepared gremolata evenly over the top. Serve immediately for a vibrant and flavorful dish.
Notes
- Use good quality anchovy fillets for a rich umami flavor.
- Adjust the amount of reserved pasta water to achieve your preferred sauce consistency.
- This dish pairs well with a crisp green salad and a dry white wine.
- For a vegetarian version, omit anchovies and add capers or olives for saltiness.
- Caramelising onions patiently is key for the best depth of flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: caramelised onion pasta, anchovy pasta, gremolata pasta, Italian pasta recipe, savory pasta dish
