Ingredients
Method
Slowly Caramelize the Onions
- Melt the butter with olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and 1/2 tsp salt.
- Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes, then stir occasionally over medium-low heat for 20 to 25 minutes until the onions are deeply browned, soft, sweet, and sticky.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up all the golden-brown caramelized bits from the bottom. Simmer for 2 minutes until the wine has mostly evaporated.
Cook Pasta Directly in Broth
- Pour the beef bone broth, Worcestershire sauce, chopped fresh thyme, bay leaves, and uncooked dry rigatoni pasta into the pot. Stir to submerge the pasta.
- Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 11 to 13 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom, until the pasta is al dente and most of the broth is absorbed into a silky starch reduction.
Stir in Cream & Melt Gruyere
- Remove and discard the bay leaves. Lower heat to minimum and stir in the heavy cream, 1 cup of shredded Gruyere, the fontina cheese, and black pepper until a rich, glossy cheese sauce coats every noodle.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of Gruyere over the top. Cover with the lid for 2 minutes (or transfer under the oven broiler for 2-3 minutes) until the cheese topping is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned.
- Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve immediately!