Orecchiette W/caramelized Onions, Sugar Peas/ricotta Cheese

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cups packed chopped onions
• 8 ounces trimmed sugar snap peas, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 ounces orecchiete pasta (little ear-shaped pasta) or 8 ounces pasta shells
• 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaf
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
• mrs. dash extra spicy seasoning or mrs dash italian seasoning
• fresh coarse ground black pepper (optional)

Recipe

• 1 heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.
• 2 add onions.
• 3 saute until onions are pale golden, about 6 minutes.
• 4 reduce heat to medium; saute onions until tender and deep golden, about 15 minutes longer.
• 5 transfer 3/4 cup sauteed onions to a small bowl;reserve for another dish.
• 6 add peas to onions in skillet.
• 7 saute until peas are crisp tender, about 3 minutes.
• 8 remove skillet from heat.
• 9 cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite.
• 10 drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid.
• 11 add pasta and 1/2 cup cooking liquid to onion mixture; stir over medium high heat 30 seconds.
• 12 mix in ricotta, basil (if using), lemon peel and lots of black pepper, adding more cooking liquid to moisten as needed.
• 13 season with either of mrs dash's seasonings, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes (if using), to taste.