Preparation:
* Note 1: See the "Quick Stock" recipe which is included in this collection.
* Note 2: Make the major part of the mixture fresh basil and marjoram accented by small amounts of fresh rosemary, sage and thyme. When harvesting your own herbs for this dish, remember most herbs (especially basil) peak in flavor just before flowering.
Heat the oil in a large heavy sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Stir them to lightly coat with the oil, then cover the pan, and lower the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cook 25 to 30 minutes, or until the onions are softened and almost transparent. Once the onions' natural sweetness has been accentuated by slow cooking, you can bring out their rich, savory side with browning. Uncover and raise the heat to medium-high or high.
Sauté the onions to deep golden brown, stirring often with a wooden spatula and scraping up the brown glaze collecting on the bottom of the pan. Take care not to let the glaze burn. If necessary, lower the heat slightly. Onions will resemble a thick, amber marmalade.
Turn the heat to low and blend in the garlic. Cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and simmer until reduced by about one quarter. As the stock bubbles, scrape up the brown glaze from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula.
Before roughly chopping the herbs, finely chop the rosemary and sage. Their assertive flavors could overwhelm the palate if eaten in larger pieces. Roughly chop the remaining herbs before starting to cook the pasta. Bring the pasta water to a fierce boil. Drop the pasta into the water, stir once it softens, and continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until a tasted piece is tender but still firm enough to have a little bite. Drain in a colander.
To finish the sauce, reheat the onion mixture over medium-high to high heat and add the cream. Stir until the cream begins to bubble. Before going to the next step, have the cooked pasta draining and hot. Warm soup dishes and a serving bowl. Stir the prosciutto, parsley, scallions, and herbs into the sauce.
Cook only long enough to heat through -- the fresh, uncooked taste of the herbs is important here. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and then quickly toss the sauce with the pasta and about 2/3 cup of the cheese. Serve immediately in the warmed dishes, passing the remaining cheese separately |
