Spaghetti with Balsamic Onions and Peas

I admit, I have never found a "spaghetti" at the supermarket that I enjoy. I kick my pasta up quite a notch using our Tonnarelli al nero pasta, which has exquisite flavor and texture. Seriously, give it a try! You'll understand why restaurant pasta dishes are so much better than what you're making with grocery store brands at home. If you don't like the idea of black pasta, use our Bucatini. You can't go wrong with how it holds sauces.

This is easy and can be plated beautifully. Of course, since we tend to get silly, we turned it into a fun dish for the kids and adults for Halloween (calling it intestines and eyeballs). But skip that if it doesn't tickle your funny bone, and use the Bucatini.

Start with our recipe for Balsamic Roasted Onions.

While the onions are baking, make our simple sauce:

• 1/4 cup of your best EVOO
• 4 cloves of garlic (pressed in a garlic press or finely chopped)
• 1/3 stick of butter
• Juice of 2 lemons, plus the zest if you like it super lemony
• Salt to taste
• A shake of red pepper flakes

And:

• 8 oz. of pasta
• 1 cup of frozen peas (or fresh, if you can find them)
• A pot of boiling water
• 1/4 pound of Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano, shredded
• 1/2 cup of cleaned, chopped parsley

Add the olive oil and garlic to a saucepan and heat gently. If you want to brown your garlic, turn the heat to medium-low, watch it closely, and keep stirring so you don't burn it (which happens super fast). Add the butter, lemon juice, and salt. Once the butter has melted, add a shake of red pepper flakes. Turn off the heat and let it sit until the pasta is ready.

In a large pot of water, add a teaspoon of salt (to bring the boiling point up, not to make the pasta salty). Once you have a rolling boil, add the pasta. Cook until al dente (just long enough to maintain a firm, chewy texture with a slight resistance when bitten, rather than becoming soft or mushy). Add the peas just before you drain (they don't need to cook, just defrost). Drain everything in a colander, then add the pasta, peas, and sauce back to the pan and stir to coat the pasta. 

Plate individually and put the pearl onions on top of each serving.

Serve with shredded cheese and parsley.

Pictured with Herb-Infused Cauliflower, a persimmon and apple salad, garlic bread, and Herbed Orange Peppers.

For Halloween and the kids, we call this black intestines with eyeballs, snot, ears, brains, and goop! But you can call it "pasta and vegetables."