Fresh Pasta with Caramelized Onions and Thyme

For a while after receiving my past maker as a gift, I made pasta quite a bit. Time to get back into that habit! I made this dish with what was in the kitchen: semolina flour, an egg, a medium yellow onion, butter and olive oil, salt and a sprig of thyme.

First I made the pasta, and I used semolina this time because that's what I bought it for. In the past I've used all-purpose flour, which makes a much sturdier pasta. This dough was a little more difficult to work with, but I think the results were lighter, if you can imagine pasta feeling "light" (imagine a good gnocchi dumpling compared to a bad one). A generous 2/3 cup flour mixed with some salt in a wide, shallow bowl, and break up an egg with a fork in a well you've made in the center of the flour. Gradually incorporate the flour, then knead in bowl for a few minutes. Wrap up and refrigerate for 30 minutes to let it rest.

Then I thinly sliced the onion and sauteed it in butter and olive oil with a sprig of thyme until the pasta's done, about 30-45 minutes. They get brown and soft with some crispy parts. Get a big pot of salted water boiling.

Roll out the pasta (I did it to setting 6), then cut into fettuccine. Add pasta to water and cook about 5 minutes. Then transfer pasta, with whatever water's clinging to it, to the pan with the onions. Toss, top with Parm, and eat. Todd loves those onions, which are kind of the same thing Pop's Pierogies serves on top of their potato ones.