Caramelized Onion, Leek, and Feta Pasta
This recipe is a time commitment, but oh man is it worth it.
Prep Time: 15ish min
Cook Time: 60ish min
Yield: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
For the pasta:
1 box thick spaghetti
4 medium yellow onions, sliced thin (about 4 cups)
2 large leeks, white and green parts only sliced into half moons (about 4 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp white sugar
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tbsp fresh thyme
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt + more to taste
juice from 1/2 lemon
For the feta mixture:
8oz feta cheese
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp onion powder
juice from 1/2 lemon
Instructions
In a large, heavy bottomed pot, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Once the oil and butter is hot, add sliced onions and leeks. Stir until the oil and butter coats all the veg. Cook for 10 minutes, then sprinkle 1 tsp of salt and the sugar. Give it a good mix.
Cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until everything is soft and starts to brown. If you notice the onions and leeks are burning instead of caramelizing, turn the heat down a bit and add another glug of olive oil. You might need to stir more frequently as the leeks and onions continue to brown.
While this is caramelizing, make the feta mixture. Add all the feta mixture ingredients to a food processor (or blender) and blend until smooth. Set aside.
After the feta mixture is made, and the veg is still caramelizing, cook the pasta according to the box instructions. Save at least 2 cups of pasta water.
Once the onions and leeks are sufficiently soft and caramel-colored, add the balsamic vinegar. Scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the brown bits up.
Add garlic, thyme, pepper, red pepper flakes, and 1 cup of pasta water. Mix well and continue to scrape the bottom of the pan to get the remaining brown bits off.
Add cooked pasta, juice from 1/2 lemon, and feta mixture. Stir until everything is well combined. If the sauce is too thick, add the remaining cup of pasta water.
Serve! Top with extra crumbled feta, grated parmesan and/or a bit of parsley for some color.