Busiate With Onion And ’Nduja Ragu
4
- Prep Time15 mins
- Total Time1 hr 20 mins
- Makes4 servings
Produced by Stephanie Han Kim, Photography by Christie Vuong, Food Styling by Ashley Denton, Prop Styling by Madeleine Johari.
This recipe was created after a snowstorm hit and stores were closed. All Jess Maiorano had on hand were onions, ’nduja, tomato paste and flour. She immediately fell in love with the simplicity and the depth of flavour of the ragu, made with a homemade charred onion stock. Busiate is a hand-rolled, twisted noodle (picture a ’90s telephone cord) that scoops up the sauce perfectly, but any twisty noodle will do.
Ingredients
6 tbsp olive oil
6 cooking onions, thinly sliced
4 shallots, thinly sliced
1/2 fennel bulb, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
300 mL white wine
1/2 cup tomato paste
3 tbsp ’nduja paste or spread, such as Callipo 'Nduja di Spilinga
pinch + 1/2 tsp salt, divided
5 cups Charred Onion Stock, see recipe below
1 recipe fresh handmade busiate (see recipe below) or 500 g dried pasta, such as mafaldine or rigatoni
4 tbsp cold unsalted butter
1/2 cup parsley leaves
parmesan cheese, for garnish
Instructions
To a large pot on low, add oil, onions, shallots, fennel and garlic. Cook for 25 to 30 min, until onions begin to brown slightly. Deglaze with wine and cook just until wine has reduced.
Add tomato paste, ’nduja and pinch salt. Increase heat to medium-low and cook until fat starts to separate, 20 min.
Add onion stock and remaining 1⁄2 tsp salt and cook until thickened, 25 min.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook fresh busiate 2 to 3 min, until al dente. (If using dried pasta, cook according to package directions.) Drain, reserving 1⁄4 cup pasta cooking water.
Meanwhile, reduce heat on ragu to low and add butter, stirring until melted.
Transfer cooked noodles to ragu along with reserved pasta water and parsley. Cook, stirring constantly, until pasta water in ragu has reduced, 30 sec. Divide among serving plates and top with cheese.
Fresh Handmade Busiate recipe
We use semolina rimacinata in this recipe for fresh busiate. It’s milled finer than the semolina used in our Migliaccio di Semola (Semolina and Ricotta Cake). One brand we like is Molisana.
Charred Onion Stock recipe
You’ll need our Charred Onion Stock recipe for this ragu.
This recipe was created for us by Jess Maiorano of Toronto’s Pasta Forever. Get the full menu for our Italian winter feast.