Spaghetti with Toasted Hazelnuts and Brussels Sprouts

Thanksgiving may be over, but my love for brussels sprouts hasn't ended. These tasty little cabbages get a bad rap year after year, but it's mostly because they are cooked as an afterthought, and thus taste like an afterthought.

"B Sprouts," as M calls them, steal the show in this warm and nutritious bowl of pasta. These wonderfully tender sprouts will never be the same again after they're simmered with caramelized onions, topped with toasty, crunchy hazelnuts, and tossed with hot Barilla Plus Spaghetti. With just a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper, this dinner is done in minutes.

Ingredients: serves 2
2 cups brussels sprouts, cooked as directed here, omitting final step with breadcrumb topping. Cut each half into a quarter
1/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped
2 T. butter
1/4 large Spanish onion, thinly sliced
1/2 lb. Barilla Plus Pasta (made with Lentils, it's packed with protein)
salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive Oil, for drizzling

Directions:
Salt the pasta water and set it to boil over high heat. Meanwhile, toast the hazelnuts over medium heat in a dry pan, then set aside. Add the butter to the pan and allow to melt, then add the onion and allow to cook until tender and deep golden in color. Add the pasta to the boiling water when it is ready and cook until just slightly more firm than al-dente. A few minutes before the pasta is done add the quartered brussels sprouts to the pan with the onion and cook through. Drain pasta and reserve the cooking water. Add the spaghetti to the pan with the sprouts and onion and toss to combine, then add back in cooking water to moisten a tablespoon at a time. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then top with the hazelnuts and serve.

*for vegetarian option omit bacon from the preparation of the brussels sprouts