Macaroni with button onions, pancetta, hazelnuts and fontina

Put the onions in a bowl and steep in boiling water for 5 minutes - this will help to remove their somewhat fiddly skins. Trim off any whiskers from the root ends and remove their jackets and tops. While the onions soak, dry fry the hazelnuts for approximately 3½ minutes, swirling them occasionally over a medium heat until a rich toasted smell comes to the nose and they appear to have darkened a bit in colour. They must be moved around while cooking so they do not burn in one place. Leave to one side.

Place the whole onions in a small frying pan with 100ml of water, the butter and a dash of sunflower oil. Cover with a lid and bring the liquid up to a gentle simmer and cook the onions like this over a low heat for 15 minutes.

Put a separate pan filled with water for the pasta on to boil. It need not be too big as the amount of pasta is small.

Remove the lid from the frying pan and when all the water has evaporated turn up the heat a little and fry the softened onions in the remaining butter for 7-8 minutes. Thy onions should be richly coloured and the butter nutty brown but not burnt and smoking. When the onions are deep golden brown add 1½ teaspoons of caster sugar and 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar and swirl the onions around in this until the balsamic has evaporated and the sugar has caramelised and stuck to the onions. Season them generously with salt then turn off the heat.

Drop the macaroni in the boiling water and cook for approximately 8 minutes or until firm and tender but not mushy. Five minutes before the macaroni is ready, put the onions back over a medium heat. Push the onions to one side of the pan and with some paper towel wipe the empty pan half clean. Lay the pancetta down. It will not take long to cook, 3 minutes or so. Turn it once and be careful not to burn it. It should be semi crisp with a little bend in it still. While the pancetta cooks, turn the onions so they warm through evenly.

Drain the macaroni and tip it back into the pot. Pour in the cream and scatter in the cheese. Put the pot back over a low heat and gently fold all together until the cheese has melted. Test the seasoning, adding a little salt. Spoon the macaroni between two warm plates. Nestle 6 onions in the middle of the pasta, cut each pancetta slice in 2 and arrange between the onions. Lastly scatter over the hazelnuts and eat immediately.