Simply sumptuous

For me, the holidays are full of rich, complex delicious dishes with multiple ingredients (many of them hard to find in the US), washed down with copious alcoholic beverages of a more-expensive-than-usual nature, followed naturally by bouts of heartburn, indigestion and insomnia. It wouldn't be the holidays without all of this! And, as much as I enjoy almost all of the above, I do like the simplicity that the aftermath brings, when you crave nothing more than a turkey sandwich, and swear off alcohol for at least.... oh... 24 hours.

For this aftermath, this dish is the perfect fit. I am usually suspicious of dishes with so few ingredients, as part of me wonders how they can still end up delicious and comforting, if that is all they contain. Fortunately, my son, who was flicking through my Judith Finlayson recipe book The Vegetarian Slow Cooker, came across this, and insisted that we must give it a try. Given the sumptuous result, we will be doing so again, and, you never know, I may even be a bit less dubious of simple recipes in future (although given my stubborn and cynical tendencies, I'm not making any promises!)

Penne with Caramelized Onions
Serves 4

6 yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 TBSP olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper
12 oz penne
1/2 cup grated parmesan

1. In slow cooker stoneware, combine onions, olive oil, garlic and thyme, and stir well.
2. Place a clean tea towel, folded in half (so therefore giving you two layers), over the top of the stoneware, and then place lid of slow cooker on top of that.
3. Cook on HIGH for 5 hours, stirring two or three times to ensure that onions brown evenly, and replacing towel beneath lid each time.
4. When onions are nicely caramelized, season with salt and pepper.
5. Cook penne to desired consistency, then drain, reserving one cup of the pasta cooking water.
6. In a skillet over medium heat, bring reserved pasta water to a boil. Stir in parmesan and caramelized onions. Add pasta and stir to combine until evenly coated with sauce. Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional parmesan.