Onion French Pasta Dish (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ FOR THE ONIONS

01 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
02 - 2 tablespoons sweet butter, unsalted
03 - 3 big yellow onions, cut into 1/8-inch thick rings (try using a Mandoline)
04 - 1/8 teaspoon table salt
05 - 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

→ FOR THE SAUCE

06 - 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
07 - Small amount to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
08 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
10 - 5 1/2 cups water (swap with beef broth if you want to skip bouillon)
11 - 1 can (350ml) condensed milk
12 - 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
13 - 2 tablespoons beef flavor (granules, paste or cubes)
14 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried stuff)
15 - 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (or 3/4 teaspoon dried stuff)
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
17 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika powder
18 - 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

→ TO FINISH

19 - 450g small-shaped pasta, raw (orecchiette works best)
20 - 140g freshly grated Gruyere cheese
21 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
22 - Some fresh parsley leaves for topping (if you want)

# Instructions:

01 - Warm up the butter with olive oil in a big (7 quart) Dutch oven on medium fire. Throw in the onions with salt and pepper.
02 - Stir now and then until onions turn dark brown and sweet, about 30-35 minutes. Lower heat or add more butter/oil if onions start to burn.
03 - When onions look nice and brown, put in garlic, red pepper flakes, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Let it cook just 30 seconds till it smells good.
04 - Pour in water and half the condensed milk. Mix cornstarch with the leftover condensed milk and dump that in too. Turn heat up high.
05 - Get the mix bubbling while you stir in beef flavor, herbs, and spices.
06 - When it's boiling, add pasta and turn down to a gentle bubble over medium-high heat. Cook without a lid for 20-25 minutes until tender but firm, stirring often so it doesn't stick. Make sure pasta stays under the liquid. You should have some extra liquid for sauce. Add more water during cooking if needed.
07 - Take pot off the heat and slowly mix in handfuls of Gruyere until it melts, then add Parmesan. Try it and add more salt or pepper if needed. For runnier sauce, splash in extra water or milk.
08 - Sprinkle with fresh parsley if you like and dig in right away.

# Notes:

01 - This easy pot meal gets its rich flavor from brown onions, and doesn't need heavy cream to make it creamy.
02 - Different pasta shapes might need more or less cooking time, so adjust your water as you go.
03 - Keep pushing pasta under the liquid so it all cooks the same.

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