Linguine with Caramelized Onions and Angry Tomato Sauce

 

2

tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1

tablespoon butter

1

large red onion, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)

1/2

lb thick-sliced pancetta or bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1

large clove garlic, finely chopped

1

tablespoon tomato paste

1/4

cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

1

can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, undrained

1

teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/4

teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1

tablespoon salt, if desired

1

lb uncooked linguine

1/2

cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 Fill large pot with 5 quarts water; heat to boiling over high heat.
• 2 Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, heat oil and butter over medium heat. When butter stops sizzling, add onion and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and golden brown. Scatter in pancetta and cook 5 minutes longer or until brown and crisp. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
• 3 Use spatula to clear a spot in center of skillet. Add tomato paste and smear it on skillet bottom. Immediately scrape tomato paste off skillet. Paste should become even darker red, maybe even browned. If not, repeat until you see a color change. Stir tomato paste into onion mixture.
• 4 Add sun-dried tomatoes and crushed tomatoes to skillet. Scrape bottom of skillet to dislodge any stuck bits. Stir in oregano and red pepper. Heat to a simmer and reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally, while you prepare pasta.
• 5 When water in pot oven is boiling, add salt if desired. When water returns to a boil, add linguine. Stir immediately to make sure it doesn’t stick to itself or pan. Boil linguine 8 to 10 minutes or until cooked through but still slightly firm. Drain in colander. There is no need to shake off excess moisture.
• 6 Return linguine to pot and stir in sauce. Cook over medium heat 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly. Sprinkle with cheese; stir to combine. Serve with additional cheese if desired.