Pasta with Olive Oil, Onions and Spices

THIS SAUCE is my free adaptation of the traditional spicy sautéed onions of the island of Karpathos that are the base for many local meat and vegetable dishes. On Lenten days, when served with the homemade pasta, it was eaten without cheese, and you may prefer it this way. If you do use cheese, try to get good-quality hard myzithra (see Sources).