This superb caramelized onion pasta made with prosciutto, cream, parmigiano cheese and an abundance of fresh Mediterranean herbs is a dish to behold. This is one of my all time favorite pastas. Here is how I make it.
To make this exquisite pasta dish, I like to make it in stages, so when dinner time approaches, I can enjoy the beautiful aromas as I chop the herbs and put the finishing touches on the pasta sauce. And one of the great things about fresh pasta is that it only takes a few minutes to cook.
Caramelized Onion Pasta Components
Caramelized Onions + Finished Sauce + Pasta
Making Ahead
- Caramelized Onions: The onions can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept in the fridge. (Or have some ready in the freezer.)
1 hour - Fresh Herbs: I like to gather, wash and dry the herbs earlier in the day, so all I have to do later is chop them. (Since I take my time enjoying the aromas, it can take me up to 30 minutes, but it takes my husband about 15.)
- Chicken Broth: If you want to make your own, here is my house golden chicken broth recipe. It can be made days or weeks ahead. (We keep homemade chicken broth ready in the freezer.)
Ingredients
Caramelized onions, aromatic fresh Mediterranean herbs, garlic, savory prosciutto, rich Parmigiano cheese and chicken broth all contribute this creamy caramelized onion pasta’s magnificence. Below are my ingredient notes and tips, so you enjoy making it as much as eating it.
Caramelized Onions
These are nice to prepare ahead of time. I like to make the caramelized onions 1 to 3 days ahead and store them in the refrigerator, or even better, have them ready in the freezer.
Aromatic Mediterranean Herbs
This wonderful combination of fresh Mediterranean herbs is my favorite for caramelized onion pasta. You can vary them, however, marjoram (or oregano) and sage leave such an impact that I highly recommend you always include them in the mix.
- My favorite fresh herb mix – marjoram (or oregano), sage, rosemary, thyme, basil, and parsley.
- Note – since marjoram is actually a mild kind of oregano (origanum majorana), oregano is an equally wonderful alternative.
- Tip – Err on the side of too many herbs instead of too few.
- Wash and dry ahead of time – To save time later, harvest (any herbs you grow) or gather, wash and allow all the herbs to dry earlier in the day, and store them, ready for chopping, in a paper bag or towels in the refrigerator.
Cut the Herbs in Separate Groups
- For the tougher herbs – like rosemary and sage, it is important to mince them, to ensure the pasta sauce has an enjoyable texture (see above photo of minced herbs in wooden bowl). Mince them together and set aside.
- For the thyme – you can just pull off their tiny leaves and add them to the minced herbs.
- For the delicate herbs – like marjoram or oregano, basil and parsley, you can roughly chop them (like in the photo above) all together.
While caramelized onions and fresh herbs are the stars of this dish, the supporting ingredients are all stellar, and contribute to making this pasta dish fabulous.
Chicken Broth
Buying chicken broth is so convenient, but homemade is so much better. My favorite solution is to make chicken broth every once in a while and freeze it in portions to have ready for favorite dishes like this one. However, if timing is not on your side, get the best chicken broth available.
- If making chicken broth for this dish – portion out enough for this meal, and store in the refrigerator or freezer, then portion out and freeze the rest for other favorite uses.
- If using store-bought chicken broth – depending on how concentrated it is, you may need to dilute it.
Fresh Pasta
Ribbon noodles like tagliatelle, fettuccine or pappardelle go exceptionally well with this sauce. And a good fresh pasta makes all the difference.
There are actually few pasta dishes I insist on fresh pasta for, but the texture of box dried pasta clashes with this beautiful creamy sauce. I did try dried egg tagliatelle, thinking it might just do because of the eggs, but it just confirmed that fresh pasta is much better here.
Making your own would be ideal. Often our first choice is to get it from an artisan pasta shop. It is worth to try a few different kinds to find the best one, as there can be a huge difference in quality and texture. Some grocery store brands just don’t cut it, but we’ve used some, like Rana fresh tagliatelle, with good results.
Serving
Wine – To compliment the caramelized onions and aromatic herbs, I like to serve this pasta with an old-style buttery chardonnay, or wine with light fruity, floral aromas.
Hot Tip!
To ensure your pasta is nice and hot at the table, pre-warm the pasta plates. Just for a minute right before the pasta is ready. Though it is not required, it is highly recommended. My native Italian husband always does this.
Ideas for places to warm the plates (we’ve done it all!): in the oven, by the fireplace, on top of a wood or pellet burning stove, or simply with hot water.
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Little Love Note
This is one of those dishes where I get really quiet so I can completely focus on the pleasure of each and every bite. The vibrant flavors and beautiful aromas of fresh Mediterranean herbs mixed in with the deep savory-sweet flavors of caramelized onions, and prosciutto make for a memorable eating experience.
We’ve enjoyed this special pasta dish many times over the years, in the States and in Italy, for special occasions or purely for our weekend pleasure, and for friends or family at dinner parties. And it is always a huge hit.
Make it for a special meal when you want something really delicious.
Recipe
Tools
- flat bottomed wooden spoon
- fine cheese grater
- small food processor, or kitchen scissors, for the prosciutto
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 cup caramelized onions (see recipe)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1¾ cups chicken broth (see recipe)
- ¾ cup (6oz) heavy cream (plus more, if needed)
- 3 oz prosciutto in thin slices, chopped (or pulsed lightly in food processor)
Fresh Herbs, leaves pulled off:
- 25 sprigs of thyme leaves
Fresh herbs, minced together:
- 20 medium sage leaves
- 3 sprigs of rosemary leaves (from 4” (10cm) long sprigs)
Fresh herbs, roughly chopped together:
- 25 basil leaves
- 8-12 sprigs of marjoram or oregano leaves (from 4” (10cm) long sprigs)
- 5 sprigs of flat Italian parsley leaves (including the attached stems closest to the leaves is fine)
Pasta and Parmigiano
- 1½ lb (24oz) fresh tagliatelle or fettucine
- 3 oz Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, freshly grated (plus more for the table)
Instructions
MAKE / THINK AHEAD
- Make Caramelized Onions (See recipe – takes 1 hour) up to 3 days ahead and store in refrigerator (Keeps up to 3 months in freezer).
- If using frozen broth, take out of freezer the night or morning before, to defrost in the refrigerator.
PREP
- Prepare ingredients and have ready in separate bowls (Takes 20-30 minutes): Chop prosciutto, grate cheese, cut fresh herbs according to group.
FINISH THE DISH & ENJOY
- Put a large covered pot of generously salted water to boil.
- Warm up the caramelized onions in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Stir in the garlic, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about half.
- Stir in the cream and cook over medium heat until bubbling. Stir in the chopped prosciutto and herbs, and turn off the heat. (To keep the herbs exquisite, do not heat the herbs more than 3-5 minutes.)
- Cook the pasta in the salted boiling water, stirring occasionally, according to the package instructions (fresh pasta should only take a few minutes).
- When the pasta is ready, quickly turn the heat for the sauce back on medium, then transfer the pasta to the sauce with a pasta fork or tongs, and stir to coat the pasta. Add the grated Parmigiano and toss well. (If too liquidy, turn up the heat and cook a minute or two longer until reduced. If too dry, stir in a bit more cream.)Enjoy hot immediately, with more Parmigiano and freshly ground pepper at the table.
Notes
- Fresh Herbs – Err on the side of too many herbs instead of too few. It’s hard to add too much.
- Storing – Store tightly covered in refrigerator for up to two days.
- Rewarming – On the second day, the flavors of the herbs are much more subtle, so it pays to refresh them by adding newly chopped marjoram or oregano, and whatever other herbs you have left over. I recommend using a little broth, milk or even water to rewarm the sauce (heavy cream can overpower the other flavors), using as little as necessary, one tablespoon at a time.
Nutrition Info: Click to Expand
by
This is a dish we have been making and tweaking at home for decades, from a recipe found long ago in Lynne Rossetto Kasper’s caring cookbook the Splendid Table.
