Ingredients Cipollina:1 kg onions (the cook has the task and privilege of choosing the type, according to taste and to "the offer of the day")200 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil150 g cane sugar100 g carrots70 g celery50 g wholegrain flour2 tsp ground pepper1 tsp parsley salt to taste (a tip: add just a little, then taste and, if necessary, add more– it is very difficult to remedy something which is "too salty"!)
Peel the onions, remove their first "skin" and divide them into two parts. Soak in cold water for half an hour (they will make you cry less when cutting and they will be more delicate "afterwards", in the mouth and in the stomach). Finely chop the carrot, celery and parsley (previously cleaned, washed and well drained). Put the chopped mixture into a non-stick, heavy-bottomed frying pan or saucepan over a moderate heat, together with the oil. Warm through and add the onions cut into very small pieces. Heat everything slightly again and then add the sugar, pepper, wholegrain flour and some salt. Stir well and continue to cook over minimum heat for 25-30 minutes, adding half a ladle of hot water when the onions begin to brown a little. Continue in this manner, stirring frequently, until the onions are yellowish, semi-transparent and a little creamy.
"La Cipollina" is a sauce, but it is also much more: a handy little wild card you can use in the kitchen. Spread on toasted bread to make bruschetta and crostini, with grissini bread sticks, grilled or raw vegetables, it is an impeccable accompaniment to aperitifs and antipastos. On its own, or with finely chopped and sautéed herbs (according to the recipe), it can transform itself into the base for tomato, meat and vegetable sauces. How about an excellent onion soup?... with the addition of bread and some stock, or depending on one's taste and on the different recipes, you can have it on the table in no time, "without tears". It is a tasty side-dish for beef, pork and grilled sausages, an exquisite filling (on its own or mixed with other ingredients) for crepes and omelettes. It is also worth remembering that it can be added as it is to other sauces to make their flavour more "robust".