Eat for Eight Bucks: French Onion Pastina

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound onions , very finely sliced
• 1 tsp flour
• 3 1/2 cups beef stock
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 pound acini di pepe, or other very small pasta
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Parmesan crisps

Directions

1. Warm the oil in a large, deep saucepan, then add the onions and cook them, stirring now and then, until they are completely softened and a rich deep brown, 25-30 minutes. If the onions begin catching on the bottom as they collapse, pour in a small quantity of cold water and use a wooden spoon to scrape up and dissolve those browned bits.
2. Scoop out about 1/4 of the onions and set them aside for garnish. Season them with salt and pepper, then cover them so they stay warm.
3. Scatter the flour over the onions still in the pot and stir until it disappears into the mixture. Pour in the beef stock, add the dried thyme, and bring everything to a boil.
4. Turn the heat down to a simmer, taste and adjust the seasoning, then stir in the pasta. Cover the pan and let it simmer, depending on the type of pasta, for 6-9 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Give it a stir once or twice while it cooks so nothing sticks.
5. Take the pasta off the heat and stir in the shredded Parmesan. Taste once more and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve topped with the reserved onions and a Parmesan crisp.
6. For the Parmesan crisps, set a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Sprinkle a small handful, about 1 1/2 tablespoons, of grated Parmesan into the pan in a circle about 3 inches in diameter. Let it cook until the cheese has partly melted and is just starting to color, 1-2 minutes.
7. Use a spatula to carefully loosen the cheese, then flip it and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
8. Transfer the crisp to paper towels to cool, or, if you want a curved shape, drape it right away over a rolling pin or another cylindrical surface.