SPAGHETTI CON CIPOLLE E DRAGONCELLO
As simple as this recipe may seem, the results are extraordinary. The sweet flavor of the onion combined with the strong accent of the tarragon give you the very expression of Tuscan cooking. The Padano cheese on top completes and harmonizes the dish.
You can use dry spaghetti for this recipe, as long as it is top quality, or make your own or try to make Pici, a thicker kind of spaghetti, originated in Siena.
for the PICI:
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (250 ml) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 ml) fine wheat semolina
1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
2/3 cup (150 ml) boiling water
Fine wheat semolina, for dusting
In a bowl or in the food processor, combine flour, semolina and salt. Add boiling water and pulse again until dough just begins to form.
On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for about 5 minutes. If you make dough entirely by hand, knead for at least 10 minutes. Cut dough in half. Roll one piece of dough at a time into a 15-cm (6-inch) wide rectangle that is about 3-mm (1/8 inch) thick. Cover remaining dough with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. With a knife, cut dough into thin 3-mm (1/8-inch) wide and 15-cm (6-inch) long strips. Do the same with the other piece of dough.
This part is optional, but is recommended for traditional pici. On a work surface, roll each strip of dough with your fingers to give it a slightly rounded shape.
Place pasta on a baking sheet covered with fine wheat semolina or unbleached all-purpose flour. Coat well.
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pici for about 5 minutes or until they are tender, but still slightly firm. Drain and oil lightly. Keep a little cooking water, if needed.
Ingredients for the sauce
1 lb of spaghetti or Corde di Chitarra
3 medium red onions, peeled and sliced
1 medium white onion, peeled and sliced
2 sprigs of fresh tarragon leaves
1/2 cup x.v. olive oil
1 tbs salt
4 tbs grated Padano cheese
fresh ground pepper
Preparation
In a medium size sauté pan, heat the olive oil.
When it’s warm add all of the sliced onions (be sure that they are not sliced too thin).
Let them cook at medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often so that the onions don’t burn and cook evenly.
Add salt and cook for 10 more minutes. You can add a little water if you see that the onions are drying out too fast or are burning. The onions should result cooked through.
Add the fresh tarragon.
In a large boiling pot of salted water cook the spaghetti. The fresh pasta will cook in one minute and the dry pasta will take about nine minutes to be nice and “al dente”.
Strain the spaghetti into the onion pan but do not toss away the cooking water.
Finish cooking the spaghetti over a high heat adding some cooking water and stirring until the pasta and the onions are well mixed together.
Plate the spaghetti. Top it with grated Padano cheese and fresh ground pepper.
