Loading...

Thinly slice the whole brown onion.

Place the sliced onion in a pan. Add 1 tablespoon of French butter and about 1/4 cup of water to the pan. Cook over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and translucent with no color. Do not caramelize them. Remove from heat and set aside.

Open the 2 tins of San Marzano tomatoes and pour them into a mixing bowl. Crush every single tomato by hand, removing and discarding any bitter cores.

Place a clean stainless steel pan on medium heat. Pour about 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil into the pan. Add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes (tomato compote) to the pan.

Season the tomato mixture with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of granulated sugar. Stir continuously with a spatula. As the mixture comes to a simmer, the olive oil will emulsify with the tomato liquid, creating a glossy sauce. Cook until the sauce is thick, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a separate large pot, bring generously salted water to a rolling boil for the pasta.

Place another stainless steel pan on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of French butter and allow it to melt.

Add the prepared onion soubise and 1 teaspoon of chopped Calabrian chili to the pan with the melted butter. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Add the prepared tomato compote (from Step 5) to the pan with the onions and chili. Stir to combine.

Add 1/4 cup of pure cream to the sauce and stir well. Add about 1/2 cup of pasta water to the sauce to help emulsify everything and achieve the desired consistency.

Cook the rigatoni pasta in the boiling water until it is just before al dente (about 1-2 minutes less than package directions).

Using a spider strainer, transfer the al dente rigatoni directly into the pan with the sauce. Add more pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, as needed to achieve a saucy, but not too saucy, consistency.

Toss the pasta through the sauce for 1-2 minutes until it is perfectly coated and finishes cooking to al dente.

Serve the pasta onto plates and garnish generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.


Thinly slice the whole brown onion.

Place the sliced onion in a pan. Add 1 tablespoon of French butter and about 1/4 cup of water to the pan. Cook over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and translucent with no color. Do not caramelize them. Remove from heat and set aside.

Open the 2 tins of San Marzano tomatoes and pour them into a mixing bowl. Crush every single tomato by hand, removing and discarding any bitter cores.

Place a clean stainless steel pan on medium heat. Pour about 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil into the pan. Add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes (tomato compote) to the pan.

Season the tomato mixture with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of granulated sugar. Stir continuously with a spatula. As the mixture comes to a simmer, the olive oil will emulsify with the tomato liquid, creating a glossy sauce. Cook until the sauce is thick, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a separate large pot, bring generously salted water to a rolling boil for the pasta.

Place another stainless steel pan on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of French butter and allow it to melt.

Add the prepared onion soubise and 1 teaspoon of chopped Calabrian chili to the pan with the melted butter. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Add the prepared tomato compote (from Step 5) to the pan with the onions and chili. Stir to combine.

Add 1/4 cup of pure cream to the sauce and stir well. Add about 1/2 cup of pasta water to the sauce to help emulsify everything and achieve the desired consistency.

Cook the rigatoni pasta in the boiling water until it is just before al dente (about 1-2 minutes less than package directions).

Using a spider strainer, transfer the al dente rigatoni directly into the pan with the sauce. Add more pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, as needed to achieve a saucy, but not too saucy, consistency.

Toss the pasta through the sauce for 1-2 minutes until it is perfectly coated and finishes cooking to al dente.

Serve the pasta onto plates and garnish generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
