Pasta with Carmelized Oranges


4 oz. unsalted butter
1 ½ cups fresh squeezed orange juice
2/3 cup sugar
1/8 t freshly ground black pepper
zest of 3 large oranges
1 lb pasta, such as tagliatelle, farfalle or any wide flat surfaced pasta
3 to 4 T sugar
1 t cinnamon
5 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
1 cup whole blanched almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped


Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Stir in about 1/4 cup of the orange juice and 2/3 cup of sugar. Dissolve the sugar while slowly adding spoonfuls of orange juice to keep the sauce from crystalizing, all the while stirring (reserve about 1/3 cup of orange juice for later use.) When the sugar has dissolved, turn up the heat slightly, stirring as the mixture bubbles and turns amber in color. When the mixture becomes a deep golden amber, stir in the pepper and two-thirds of the orange zest, remove from heat immediately so the zest doesn’t burn. Carefully pour in the remaining 1/3 cup of orange juice, it may spatter. Keep sauce warm while cooking the pasta. Cook the pasta according to package, drain well. Reheat the sauce to a slight bubble. Add the pasta to the skillet and toss so all the pasta is well coated. Turn on to a warmed serving platter and sprinkle with the remaining sugar, cinnamon, cheese, almonds and orange zest. Serve immediately.

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