Butter Noodles with Melting Onions and Cabbage

Ingredients

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• 1⁄3 cup neutral oil, such as sunflower or grapeseed, plus more as needed
• 1½ tablespoons coarsely cracked black peppercorns, plus more for serving
• 3 medium yellow onions, sliced ¼ inch thick
• Kosher salt
• 3-pound head green cabbage, cut into ¼-inch-wide slices
• 1 pound egg noodles, or pasta such as tagliatelle or pappardelle
• 8 to 12 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature, for serving

Method

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the cracked pepper and fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the cabbage and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the cabbage and onion are both a deep golden brown and there’s a golden-brown crust forming at the bottom of the pot, 25 to 30 minutes. If the pot looks dry, add another tablespoon or so of oil to help the cabbage fry and caramelize.

While the cabbage cooks, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the noodles and cook for 3 minutes less than what the package calls for, so they’re a little undercooked. Remove the pot from the heat.

Using tongs or a slotted spoon, add the pasta directly to the cabbage and onion and stir to combine. Add about ½ cup of pasta water and scrape the bottom of the pan to release all the browned, flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan. Add more pasta water as needed to help create a thin but silky sauce that clings to the noodles. Taste and season with more salt as needed. Remove the pot from the heat.

Divide the noodles among bowls and top each bowl with 2 tablespoons of salted butter and more freshly cracked black pepper. Enjoy watching the butter melt in each bowl, stir until glossy and creamy.

Yield

Serves 4 to 6