French Onion Pasta

French onion pasta - like the soup, but even better. Easier to eat, plus, you know, delicious pasta, and also mushrooms! This recipe uses chicken stock instead of the beef broth traditionally used in french onion soup. You could easily add spinach and chicken to this if you wanted to make it heartier. We were initially going to make this with red wine, but turns out neither of us is capable of uncorking wine. So...brandy it is! Cooking with brandy is always a good idea, anyway. And did we mention that this only dirties one pot? Why aren't you making this for dinner right now?

French Onion Pasta

servings: 6
time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp butter
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 lb pasta
• 2 bay leaves
• generous sprinkle of thyme
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 6 oz gruyere cheese, shredded
• 1/3 cup feta, crumbled
• parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat and melt butter.
2. Add onions and sugar. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add worcestershire sauce and brandy and continue cooking until the brandy has evaporated and the onions are caramelized.
4. Preheat broiler.
5. Add mushrooms, garlic, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking until mushrooms are tender.
6. Add chicken broth and increase heat to bring to a boil.
7. Add pasta, bay leaves, and thyme. Cook, stirring often, until most liquid has been absorbed and the pasta is al dente.
8. Add cream, cayenne pepper, and half of each cheese. Cook for 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
9. Top with remaining cheese and place under broiler until melted and just beginning to brown.
10. Garnish with parsley.

So cheesy! Gruyere is probably the best cheese for dishes like this. 

Katrina says this pot looks like a witch's cauldron. Cast iron dutch ovens aren't weird, right? 

You can't tell how big this bowl is here, but we ate A LOT of this pasta. It's dangerously delicious.

Yum