Pasta with Tropea onions and Lardo alla Toranese
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
666 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mediterranean, Italian
Pasta with Tropea onions and Lardo alla Toranese
Description
The recipe starts by sautéing finely sliced Tropea onions with small pieces of lardo in olive oil, allowing the lardo to render its fat and the onions to soften and caramelize slightly. The rendered fat combines with the olive oil to form a luscious sauce that coats the pasta.
Cooked pasta such as elicoidali, rigatoni, or penne is combined with the sauce and some of the pasta's cooking water to help emulsify and loosen the mixture. Grated pecorino cheese adds a salty, tangy dimension. Freshly ground black pepper and optional red pepper flakes (peperoncino) provide a subtle spiciness to balance the dish’s richness.
This pasta is best served immediately to enjoy the rich, silky texture of the sauce and the contrast between the sweet onions and savory lardo. It pairs well with a simple green salad or a light vegetable side to balance the fat content.
Ingredients
- 320-400 g elicoidali pasta (12-14oz) or rigatoni, penne, etc
- 150 g lardo 5-6oz) or guanciale, fatty bacon, Italian
- 2 Tropea onions or other sweet red onions
- 50 g pecorino cheese (2oz)
- salt for pasta and to taste
- black pepper to taste, freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- crushed red pepper flakes optional and to taste, peperoncino flakes
Instructions
Prepare ingredients
- Peel the onions and cut into fine slices. Cut the lardo into small pieces.
- Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again.
Make your pasta alla Toranese
- Fry the chopped lard and the onions together in a little olive oil (You don’t need much as the lardo will render fat too) until the onions are translucent and the lardo has started to melt.
- Cook the pasta al dente according to instructions on the packet. When ready, save a cup of the cooking water and drain. Add the pasta to the sauce with a little of the cooking water.
- Mix well then add some grated pecorino cheese. Mix again and serve immediately with a sprinkling of ground black pepper, more pecorino and some peperoncino for a little spice if desired.
Notes
- You can use elicoidali, rigatoni, penne, or other similar shaped pasta such as short ziti or casarecce.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 666 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 666kcal | 33% |
| Carbohydrates | 65g | 22% |
| Protein | 19g | 38% |
| Fat | 36g | 55% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 53mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 478mg | 20% |
| Potassium | 269mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 53IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 4mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 162mg | 16% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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