Pasta with Caramelized Cabbage and Toasted Walnuts

This pasta with caramelized cabbage and toasted walnuts features the humble green cabbage. The caramelized cabbage provides a soft sweetness that pairs nicely with sharp Pecorino cheese and slightly bitter toasted walnuts.

I bought a fresh cabbage at the market and then perused a number of recipes before landing on this recipe in the New York Times cooking section, with a few adjustments. The result is a deliciously different pasta sauce.

This recipe makes four generous servings.

Tips

• The original recipe uses leeks instead of red onion, should you want to go with leeks.
• Parmesan cheese would be a nice substitute for the Pecorino. I’m trying it next time I make this dish.

Ingredients

You need the following ingredients to make this pasta with caramelized cabbage.

• 1/2 – 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped into small pieces
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 red onion, sliced and chopped
• 2 pounds thinly sliced green cabbage
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
• Kosher salt, for pasta water and the cabbage
• 1 pound spaghetti or linguini
• Fresh grated black pepper, to taste
• 4 ounces Pecorino, grated, plus more for serving
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the walnuts in a single layer on a small baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 8-10 minutes, checking them often to make sure that they don’t burn. Remove them as soon as they start to show signs of toasting. Set them aside to cool.

Add the olive oil and butter to a large heavy-bottomed skillet (or Dutch oven) over a medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the cumin seeds and heat them (bloom them) for 15-20 seconds.

Add the red onions, cabbage, garlic, and about a teaspoon of salt to the pan and stir them until the cabbage is a little wilted. Cover the pan, and cook the vegetables for about 10 minutes, without stirring. You want the cabbage on the bottom of the pan to start to caramelize, but not burn. Lift the cover to check on the cabbage a few times to make sure that it isn’t burning. Stir it (and turn down the heat) if it is browning too much.

After 10 minutes, remove the lid from the cabbage and stir it. Cover it again and cook for another 5 minutes, until it is sweet and tender. Taste it and season it with salt and a little fresh pepper.

While the cabbage is cooking, heat water in a large pan to cook the pasta. When it is boiling, add salt, and add the pasta. Cook until it is al dente. Before draining the pasta, scoop out a cup of the cooking liquid.

Add the pasta to the cabbage. Add about 3/4 cup of pasta water and stir everything together. Stir in the Pecorino and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.

Sprinkle the walnuts and scallions over the pasta. Serve it with a little more cheese.

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