Orecchiette W/Caramelized Onions, Sugar Peas/Ricotta Cheese

This recipe is total "comfort food" as far as I am concerned! Bon Appetit Magazine, June 2009 edition. Maria Helm Sinskey is the author of Williams Sonoma Family Meals. Made a few changes to suit our needs and to try and make some more people happy.;) I think a nice rose, a sliced tomato salad with an olive oil and "vinegar" vinaigrette, warm bread and butter and a scrumptious fresh fruit salad of berries and cantelope will round out the meal very nicely! :)

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4  cups  packed chopped onions
• 8  ounces  trimmed sugar snap peas, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 8  ounces  orecchiete pasta (little ear-shaped pasta) or 8  ounces pasta shells
• 1⁄2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1⁄4 cup  torn fresh basil leaf
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons  finely grated lemon peel
•  mrs. dash extra spicy  seasoning or   mrs dash  italian seasoning
•  fresh coarse ground black pepper (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onions.
3. Saute until onions are pale golden, about 6 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to medium; saute onions until tender and deep golden, about 15 minutes longer.
5. Transfer 3/4 cup sauteed onions to a small bowl;reserve for another dish.
6. Add peas to onions in skillet.
7. Saute until peas are crisp tender, about 3 minutes.
8. Remove skillet from heat.
9. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite.
10. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid.
11. Add pasta and 1/2 cup cooking liquid to onion mixture; stir over medium high heat 30 seconds.
12. Mix in ricotta, basil (if using), lemon peel and lots of black pepper, adding more cooking liquid to moisten as needed.
13. Season with either of Mrs Dash's seasonings, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes (if using), to taste.