Description
A comforting and flavorful pasta bake combining sweet balsamic caramelized onions with creamy goat’s cheese, baked to golden perfection with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. This recipe offers a delicious vegetarian dish perfect for a cozy dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 400g short pasta (fusilli or gemelli)
Onion Mixture
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Salt & black pepper to taste
Cheese Mixture
- 200g goat’s cheese, crumbled
- 200ml double cream
- 100g grated mozzarella
- 50g grated Parmesan
- Salt & black pepper to taste
Garnish
- Fresh thyme (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) to prepare it for baking the pasta dish.
- Cook pasta: Boil the short pasta until al dente according to package instructions, then drain well and set aside.
- Caramelize onions: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and cook the thinly sliced onions slowly for 15–20 minutes until they turn golden and soft.
- Add balsamic vinegar: Stir in the balsamic vinegar to the onions and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the onions become sticky and richly flavored.
- Prepare cheese mixture: In a bowl, mix together the double cream and crumbled goat’s cheese. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and combine until smooth.
- Combine ingredients: In a baking dish, mix the cooked pasta with the caramelized onions and the goat’s cheese and cream mixture, ensuring everything is well coated.
- Add cheese topping: Sprinkle grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the pasta mixture.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbling.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh thyme if desired before serving warm.
Notes
- Use firm short pasta like fusilli or gemelli to hold the sauce well.
- Cooking onions slowly is key to develop sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Feel free to substitute double cream with crème fraîche for a tangier flavor.
- The dish can be prepared ahead and baked later; just keep refrigerated until baking.
- Fresh thyme can be omitted if unavailable, or substituted with rosemary or oregano.
