Tagliatelle with Creamy Onions and Pangrattato

, from Issue #71. March, 2017
Photography by Sarah Tuck.
Tagliatelle with Creamy Onions and Pangrattato

This dish is so deliciously creamy and decadent, elevated to dinner-party status with the addition of crunchy, garlicky pangrattato.

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
600 grams onions, finely sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
½ cup dry white wine
200ml cream
500 grams tagliatelle
½ cup grated parmesan
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
⅓ cup finely chopped parsley, to serve
Pangrattato, to serve, recipe below


Pangrattato
150 grams thick white toast bread, crusts removed, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon chilli flakes

 

METHOD

Heat the oil and butter in a large, deep frying pan and add the onions. Season well with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, over a medium heat for 20 minutes. 

Add the garlic and cook another 3–4 minutes. Add the wine, cream and nutmeg and cook for a further 5 minutes. Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water until al dente. I often cook mine a minute less than the packet instructions. 

Drain the pasta reserving ⅓ cup of pasta water. Toss the pasta with the sauce, and stir through the parmesan and reserved pasta water. Serve sprinkled with pangrattato and parsley. 


Pangrattato

Pulse the bread pieces in a food processor until they form into chunky breadcrumbs. 

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the breadcrumbs over a medium heat until lightly golden.

Add the pine nuts, garlic and chilli flakes and cook for a further 2–3 minutes until the pine nuts are also lightly toasted. Allow to cool, then store in an airtight container. Makes about 1½ cups