French Onion Pastina

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb onion, very finely sliced (about 2 large)
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 3 1/2 cups beef stock
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 lb acini di pepe pasta (or any other very small pasta like orchiette, stelle or seme di melone) or 1/2 lb orzo pasta (or any other very small pasta like orchiette, stelle or seme di melone)
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper

Recipe

• 1 heat oil over medium in a large deep saucepan until it shimmers. add onions and saute slowly until very soft and a deep mahogany color, 25-30 minutes. if the onions stick, add a small amount of cold water and scrape with a wooden spoon to dissolve the sticking solids.
• 2 remove about 1/4 of the cooked onions to a bowl; reserve for use as garnish.
• 3 sprinkle flour into pot and stir well to coat. add beef stock and thyme. bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and add pasta. cover pan and simmer until pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed (6-9 minutes, depending on size and shape of pasta). stir once or twice during cooking.
• 4 off heat, stir in parmesan. serve, topped with remaining onions and parmesan frico.