Caramelised Onion and Goats Cheese Pasta with Kale topped with a Herby Crumb

Tue, 10 January 2023

Ingredients

• 250g Italian pappardelle
• 500g (3) big brown onions
• 50g butter
• 50g oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 125g goats cheese
• 125g ricotta
• 2 tbsp cream
• 75g kale ( cooked / 150g raw )
• 100g puy lentils / lentils vert
• 30g parmesan
• Salt and pepper
• Stockpot/stock cube
• Gremolata
• 150g brioche
• 20g Parmesan
• Zest half lemon
• Big handful combined of fresh parsley, chives, rosemary

Method

1. Cut the onions in half lengthways. Peel them and thinly slice them.
2. Melt the oil and butter over medium heat and cook the onions slowly for about 30-40 minutes until caramelised, velvety, sweet and jammy. As the onions cook prepare the rest of the ingredients.
3. Kale: Remove the leaves from the stalk. Tear into chunks. Boil in salted water for 2/3 minutes until tender but not like mush.
4. Remove immediately and refresh by plunging it into ice-cold water. Allow the cooking to stop and the kale to cool down. Pat it dry and then finely shred it.
5. Open and drain the lentils if using tinned or else boil dried lentils in stock until tender then drain.
6. Gremolata: Blitz up the brioche bread with lemon zest, herbs and parmesan. Add a twist of black pepper and salt.
7. When the onions are cooked, remove them from the heat. Boil up the water for pasta. Add plenty of sea salt. Cook for 3 minutes ( or according to the packet instructions. Drain and keep a mug of pasta water.)
8. Add the pasta to the onions, and toss in the kale, lentils and goats cheese. Place the pan on medium heat and melt in the goats cheese, ricotta and cream to loosen it stir until it is all combined and then add the pasta water as needed for that silky texture.
9. Spoon into warm pasta bowls and garnish with a sprinkling of the toasty gremolata.