French Onion Pasta

Source - Washington Post - Voraciously Feb 17, 2023

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 to 6 slices bacon
• 1/2 container mushrooms
  
• 2 medium yellow onions (1 pound), thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup tawny port (may substitute madeira, sherry, dry vermouth, red wine, or additional stock or broth)
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock or broth, preferably unsalted or reduced-sodium, if store-bought
• 8 ounces short dry pasta, such as rigatoni, fusilli, orecchiette, or macaroni
  
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme, tied together with twine, plus more for serving
  
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 2 ounces (1/2 cup) finely shredded Gruyere cheese, plus more for serving

Directions

• In a large pot or Dutch oven over low heat, melt the 2 Tbsp butter. Add the bacon sized into small pieces. Cook until soft done and remove to a plate with a paper towel.  Add the remaining butter, onions, mushrooms and salt, stir, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are nicely browned in spots and the bottom of the pot is covered with stuck-on bits, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Add the port to deglaze by scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
• Add the stock or broth, pasta, thyme, pepper, and cooked bacon.  Cover partially and increase the heat to bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed to keep the mixture at a gentle, not rolling, boil, until the pasta is al dente and the liquid has reduced to coat the pasta, 15 to 20 minutes (see NOTE). Remove from the heat, discard the thyme, and stir in the cheese until melted. Taste, and season with more salt and/or pepper, if needed.
• Divide among bowls, sprinkle with more cheese and fresh thyme leaves, if desired, and serve.
• NOTE: The pasta will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so it’s okay if it is still saucy.