It's the Autumn Equinox, meaning there are an equal number of hours of daylight and darkness today, and from now until the Winter Solstice in December the days will be getting shorter. For most of the Northern Hemisphere, that means it's Autumn and the temperatures will start to get cooler. But, those rules don't apply very well where I live in north Texas. So, we have to use our imaginations a little bit while we're still doing a whole lot of sweating (it was about 94 F here today). :)
This dish is intended for those cooler evenings when you want something comforting but a bit different. It has pasta, it has cheese, and I chose to add meat to it... all well known comfort foods. What's different is the flavor base, which involves French onions. So what makes them "French" if they're grown here in the U.S.? The method of preparation, which is to cut them into thin slices and then cook them down slowly with a little olive oil until they are a deep golden color; this process is called caramelization. This does two things: it brings out a rich flavor as the sugars in the onion are slowly cooked out, and it greatly reduces the volume of the cooked onion, which concentrates the flavor even more. On average, 2 cups of sliced raw onion will result in about 1/3-1/2 cup of caramelized onion, so don't be intimidated by the large quantities of onions used in any recipe that refers to "French onions."
Originally posted as a vegetarian recipe, this dish can be customized in many different ways. I chose only one, and that was to add ground beef to it. I'll list several others in the recipe notes.
Adapted from Carlsbad Cravings
A cooler weather recipe that combines comfort items like pasta, cheese, and ground beef with a rich French onion flavor.
Adapted from Carlsbad Cravings
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions, salt, and pepper, and cook until they are a deep golden color, stirring occasionally to prevent the onions from sticking and scorching (about 30-35 minutes).
A few minutes before the onions are done, begin browning the ground beef in another skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Drain excess grease and set aside.
Add garlic, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce to the caramelized onion and cook for about 1 minute.
Add the beef broth to the onion mixture and scrape up any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add half of the evaporated milk. Mix the other half of the evaporated milk with the cornstarch to make a slurry and add to the mixture. Add all remaining seasonings. Stir and bring to a boil.
Add the ground beef and the pasta, and stir to combine. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is just al dente (typically 7-9 minutes, but can vary depending on the type of pasta used).
Remove from heat. Gradually add the cheeses and stir to combine as they melt. Serve with a garnish of parsley or additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
Servings 8
Serving Size approx 2 cups
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.