Cavatappi with White Beans and Golden Onions

Ingredients

• 0.3 teaspoon pepper black
• 1 lb cavatappi) (corkscrew pasta)
• 0.5 cup flat-leaf parsley fresh finely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove finely chopped
• 16 oz beans such as great northern white drained and rinsed canned
• 2 teaspoons jalapeño chile fresh finely chopped to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 2 medium onions halved lengthwise cut lengthwise into thin slices (2 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup parmigiano-reggiano finely grated
• 2 large bell peppers red cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-wide strips (4 cups)
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 0.8 cup water 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• pot
• colander

Directions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onions, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes.
2. Add garlic and sauté, stirring, 1 minute, then transfer onions to a bowl.
3. Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and sauté bell peppers, chile, salt, and pepper, stirring occasionally, until bell peppers are tender, about 8 minutes.
4. Add onions and water and bring to a boil, scraping up brown bits from bottom of skillet, then remove from heat.
5. While peppers are sautéing, cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup cooking water, then drain pasta well in a colander and return to pot.
6. Add onion mixture, reserved cooking water, beans, half of cheese, and half of parsley and toss well.
7. Serve sprinkled with remaining cheese and parsley.