Tuscan Pasta

Jammy caramelized onions, jumbo shells cooked in bone broth, crisp bacon, roasted peppers, cream and Parmesan. One pot for the pasta, one skillet for the bacon.

Serves: 4 | Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large yellow onions, sliced thin
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 6 oz thick-cut bacon, diced
• 1 cup roasted red peppers, sliced
• 1 lb Garofalo conchiglioni (jumbo shells)
• 32 oz beef bone broth (I use Kettle & Fire), plus water as needed
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more to serve
• A handful of fresh basil, torn

Method

1. Caramelize the onions. Warm the olive oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium. Add the onions with a big pinch of salt. Cook low and slow, stirring now and then, until deep golden and jammy, 35–45 minutes. Splash in water if they catch.
2. Crisp the bacon. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a cast-iron skillet until the fat renders and the edges crisp. Add the peppers for the last couple of minutes.
3. Shells into the pot. Add the dry shells to the onions and stir to coat. Pour in the bone broth until the pasta is just covered.
4. Simmer, covered. Bring to a simmer, put the lid on and cook, stirring every few minutes so nothing sticks, until the shells are tender, 15–18 minutes. Add a splash of water if it gets tight.
5. Make it creamy. Lower the heat. Pour in the cream, then the Parmesan, and stir until glossy.
6. Finish. Fold in the bacon, peppers and basil. Season with pepper and serve with more Parmesan on top.

Charlie's Notes

Don't rush the onions. That's where all the flavor in this sauce comes from. Bone broth instead of stock gives the sauce body without any extra butter.

To Pour

Chianti Classico.