Gemelli with Caramelized Onions, Kale, and Bacon
SERVES 4 TO 6
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Glossy caramelized onions, braised kale, and crisped bacon give this pasta dish a sweet, savory, and highly addictive flavor profile. We jump-started the caramelization of our onions by cooking them covered so they’d release their moisture, then we removed the lid and sautéed them to let the liquid evaporate and give the onions a chance to become deeply browned and tender. For the kale, we simply added it to the pan with the onions. The pasta cooking water did double duty—before adding the pasta, we added a scoop of the boiling water to the pan to braise the kale. Grated Parmesan cheese brought the sauce together and reinforced the meaty, salty notes of the bacon. Don’t dry the kale completely after washing; a little extra water clinging to the leaves will help them wilt when cooking in step 2.
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8 |
slices bacon |
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3 |
onions |
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1 |
pound kale |
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4 |
garlic cloves |
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1 |
pound gemelli |
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1 |
cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving |
1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot for pasta. Cut bacon into ½-inch pieces and cook in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes; transfer to paper towel–lined plate. Halve and thinly slice onions, add to bacon fat left in skillet with ½ teaspoon salt, cover, and cook over medium-high heat until soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove lid, reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook onions, stirring often, until well browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Stem kale and chop leaves into 1-inch pieces. Mince garlic, stir into skillet, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in half of kale and cook until it begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. Add remaining kale and 1½ cups boiling pasta water (skillet will be very full). Cover and simmer, tossing occasionally, until kale is tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add kale mixture, bacon, and Parmesan and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Serve with extra Parmesan.