Eat for Eight Bucks: French Onion Pastina

Name: Eat for Eight Bucks: French Onion Pastina
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Mediterranean, French, European
Ingredients: 227 grams acini di pepe, or other very small pasta (orzo, stelle, seme di melone); 828 milliliters beef stock; 0 teaspoons dried thyme; 1 teaspoon flour; 2 Tbsps olive oil; 454 grams onions (about 2 large), very finely sliced; 59 milliliters shredded Parmesan; 2 servings Salt and freshly ground black pepper

The recipe Eat for Eight Bucks: French Onion Pastin

Instructions

Cook onions in oil in a large, deep saucepan, stirring occasionally, until onions are very soft and a deep brown color, 25-30 minutes. As the onions cook down, they may start to stick to the bottom of the pan; whenever this happens, deglaze with a small quantity of cold water, scraping with wooden spoon to dissolve brown bits.

Ingredients you will need

Onion

Water

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Wooden Spoon

Sauce Pan

Frying Pan

Remove about 1/4 of onions from pan, reserving for garnish. Season with salt and pepper and cover to keep warm.

Ingredients you will need

Salt And Pepper

Onion

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Sprinkle flour over the onions in the pot, stirring to incorporate.

Ingredients you will need

Onion

All Purpose Flour

Equipment you will use

Pot

Add beef stock and dried thyme and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, adjust seasoning, and add pasta. Cover pan and simmer, depending on type of pasta, for 6-9 minutes, or until pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir once or twice during cooking to prevent sticking.

Ingredients you will need

Dried Thyme

Beef Stock

Seasoning

Pasta

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Remove pasta from heat and stir in shredded Parmesan. Adjust seasoning if necessary. To serve, top with reserved onions and Parmesan crisp.

Ingredients you will need

Seasoning

Parmesan

Onion

Pasta

Parmesan Crisps

Ingredients you will need

Parmesan

Chips

Heat a nonstick pan over medium-low heat.

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Sprinkle a small handful (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) of grated Parmesan into the pan to form a circle about 3 inches in diameter. Cook until cheese is somewhat melted and beginning to take on color, 1-2 minutes. Using a spatula, gently loosen the cheese and flip, cooking for an additional 30 seconds.

Ingredients you will need

Parmesan

Cheese

Equipment you will use

Spatula

Frying Pan

Place on paper towels to cool, or, for a curved shape, immediately drape over a rolling pin or other cylindrical surface.

Equipment you will use

Paper Towels

Rolling Pin

Equipment

Ingredients

Servings:

227grams

acini di pepe, or other very small pasta (orzo, stelle, seme di melone)828milliliters

beef stock 0teaspoons

dried thyme 1teaspoon

flour 2Tbsps

olive oil 454grams

onions (about 2 large), very finely sliced 59milliliters

shredded Parmesan 2servings

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Recommended wine: Bordeaux, Champagne, White Burgundy

French works really well with Bordeaux, Champagne, and White Burgundy. French wine is just as diverse as French food, but you rarely go wrong with champagne. If your meal calls for a white wine, you might also try a white burgundy. For a red, try a red bordeaux blend. The Chateau Bellevue Peycharneau Bordeaux Superieur with a 4.1 out of 5 star rating seems like a good match. It costs about 17 dollars per bottle.