Caramelized Shallot Pasta

While I’m trying to fit in before lunch hikes and face meetings until 10 pm I’m on the prowl for quick to the table meals. This recipe will surely find a place in my new menu rotation. We just had it for lunch and I could eat it again tomorrow it was so delish!

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 6 large shallots, very thinly sliced
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
•  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon of smoky paprika
• 8-12 ounces of finely chopped Baby Bella mushrooms
• 1 (4.5-ounce) tube or (6-ounce) can of tomato paste (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup)
• 10 ounces gluten-free spaghetti 
• 1 cup parsley, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
•  Flaky sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and red onion, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the shallots have become totally softened and begin to caramelize showing golden fried edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Add red-pepper flakes and chopped mushrooms. You may need to add more oil at this point. Keep heat at medium-high so that mushrooms begin to brown.  Add tomato paste and season with salt and pepper and paprika, stirring constantly to prevent any scorching, until the tomato paste has started to cook in the oil a bit, caramelizing at the edges and going from bright red to a deeper brick red color, about 2 minutes. This is an extra step but really brings out the flavors.  Set aside while pasta cooks.
3. Before draining pasta add a ladle full or two of the pasta water to the shallot mixture, turning up the heat.  Add drained pasta and swirl to coat each piece of pasta with sauce. 
4. Toss in chopped parsley, season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Adapted from Alison Roman’s recipe in NYT.