When cookbook author Diane Kochilas began dressing
pasta with yogurt, her intention was to adapt a classic Greek
island dish that required an obscure cheese called sitaka.But, in doing so, she created a dinner of convenience that’s striking enough to serve to company. The sauce has only two components: thick yogurt and starchy, salty pasta cooking water, which together create the soothing texture of an alfredo sauce, lightened up with yogurt’s tang. But it won’t taste austere, especially once you garnish with caramelized onions and Pecorino to balance out the sweetness and salt.
When Kochilas developed this recipe, in order for
the yogurt to thicken enough to coat the pasta—and not slip off into a puddle at
the bottom of the plate—you had to remember to strain it for 2
hours. This is hardly something to grumble about, but it did keep this dish in
the realm of dinners you have to think about before you’re hungry.
Now, with the widespread availability of thick,
Greek-style (that is, already strained) yogurts, this is an almost
embarrassingly ready-to-eat food. The only step that takes time is caramelizing
the onions, which you’ll want to do right. Give them at least 20 to 30 minutes,
while you do everything else. They should look like stained glass when you’re
done, and taste like honey.
Serves 4 to 6
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive
oil
6 cups (1.4L) coarsely chopped or
sliced onions
Sea salt
1 pound (450g) tagliatelle or
other fresh pasta
2 cups (450g) thick, strained
Greek-style yogurt (see note)
1 cup (100g) coarsely grated
kefalotyri or Pecorino Romano cheese
1 Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over
medium-high heat and add the onions. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook,
stirring frequently and seasoning with salt to taste as you go, until the onions
are soft and golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water and bring to a
boil. As the water heats, add enough salt so that you can taste it. Add the
pasta and cook until soft, just past al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup
(120ml) of the pasta water. Combine the yogurt with ¼ cup (60ml) cooking water
and mix well. Add more of the reserved pasta water as needed to get the sauce to
your desired thickness. Toss the pasta with the yogurt mixture. Serve the pasta
immediately, sprinkled generously with cheese and topped with the caramelized
onions and their juices.
NOTE: If not using thick, Greek yogurt, line a
colander with cheesecloth and set over a bowl or in the sink. Add the yogurt and
let drain for 2 hours before proceeding with the recipe. For a treat, seek out
sheep’s milk yogurt for this.
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