Ingredients
Bread Crumbs
- ½ Baguette
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 2 teaspoons Oregano
Pasta & Sauce
- 300 g Cavatappi Macaroni
- 5 Onions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup Beef Broth
- 3 cups Heavy Cream
- 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon Flour plus 3 tablespoons Water (for béchamel)
- 1 teaspoon Sugar (optional, to speed caramelization)
- Fresh Parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- 2 teaspoons Salt (plus more for water)
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1 tablespoon Smoked Paprika Powder
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
Instructions
- Prepare the Breadcrumbs: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) if you’ll be using it for breadcrumbs. Cut the baguette into small cubes and toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 10–12 minutes until golden and crispy, or use an air fryer. Once cool, pulse in a food processor or blender to coarse crumbs.
- Caramelize the Onions: Thinly slice all five onions into long strips. Heat a large skillet or pan over medium heat with a little olive oil. Add the onions and sauté for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Optionally, add sugar partway through to speed caramelization. If onions stick, deglaze with beef broth and let simmer for 10 more minutes until onions are richly browned and sweet. Set aside.
- Make the Béchamel Sauce: In the same skillet, melt a little butter over low-medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for about a minute. Gradually pour in the heavy cream, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens. If lumps form, whisk in a little ice-cold water to smooth it out.
- Flavor the Sauce: Stir in ⅔ of the caramelized onions, then add salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, nutmeg, chopped fresh parsley, and parmesan cheese. Simmer briefly until the cheese melts and the sauce is fragrant and thickened.
- Cook the Pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the cavatappi until just shy of al dente, as it will finish in the oven. Drain well.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Toss the drained pasta into the béchamel-onion sauce, stirring until every piece of pasta is coated evenly.
- Assemble and Bake: Transfer the pasta mixture to an oven-safe baking dish. Top with the remaining caramelized onions and an even layer of homemade breadcrumbs. Bake uncovered at 350°F (175°C) for 10–15 minutes, or until the top is golden, bubbled, and crisp.
- Serve: Garnish with extra parsley and serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use an oven-safe skillet or transfer to a baking dish before baking.
- Add sugar only if needed to speed onion caramelization.
- Breadcrumbs can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container.
- For vegetarian version, use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
- Pasta will finish cooking in the oven, so slightly undercook in boiling water.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Main-course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 690
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 1260mg
- Fat: 40g
- Saturated Fat: 22g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 21g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
