Alison Roman's Famous Caramelized Shallot Pasta Recipe

To say this recipe changed Alison Roman's life might be a bit dramatic, but it also might be true. Caramelized Shallot Pasta starts with shallots and garlic cooked low and slow in olive oil until deeply golden, then anchovies melt in, tomato paste caramelizes to a brick-red, and pasta gets tossed in the whole glorious mess with a splash of pasta water. Finished with a bright parsley-garlic topping, it's one of those recipes you'll make once and then crave forever.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 large shallots (about 12 oz), very thinly sliced
• 5 garlic cloves (4 thinly sliced, 1 finely chopped)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more
• 1 (2-ounce) tin anchovy fillets (about 12), drained
• 1 (4.5-oz) tube or (6-oz) can tomato paste (1/2-3/4 cup)
• 12-16 ounces dried pasta, preferably bucatini or spaghetti
• 1 cup parsley, tender leaves and stems, finely chopped
• Flaky sea salt

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sliced garlic, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are totally softened and caramelized with golden-brown fried edges, 15-20 minutes.
2. Add red pepper flakes and anchovies. No need to chop the anchovies — they will dissolve on their own. Stir to melt the anchovies into the shallots, about 2 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, until the tomato paste caramelizes at the edges and turns a deeper brick-red color, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer about half of the mixture to a container, leaving the rest in the pan. (Save the other half for another use — it's incredible smeared on roasted vegetables or spooned over fried eggs.)
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until very al dente. Save 2 cups of pasta water, then drain. Add pasta to the pan with the shallot mixture along with 1 cup of pasta water. Cook over medium-high heat, swirling and scraping, until the sauce is reduced, sticky, and coating each strand, 3-5 minutes. Add more pasta water as needed.
5. Combine parsley and finely chopped garlic in a small bowl, season with flaky salt and pepper. Top the pasta with the parsley mixture and a few more red pepper flakes.

Tip: The shallot paste can be made 1 month ahead, stored sealed and refrigerated. Make a double batch and use it all week.

Alison Roman's new cookbook, Something from Nothing, is a love letter to the pantry and we're here for it. We've stocked Martie with some of her favorite pantry staples: the essentials for cooking something from nothing. Shop all of it, and score more FREE recipes, here. 

Recipe Source: Something from Nothing by Alison Roman