Cipolline in agrodolce (sweet and sour baby onions)
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Cipolline in agrodolce (sweet and sour baby onions)

Servings

4

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

15

minutes

This recipe is a traditional ‘antipasto’ dish that is wonderful as an accompaniment to cured meats, cheeses and bread. However, it is so versatile that it can also be served as a side dish.

Ingredients

  • 750g baby onions

  • 30g unsalted butter

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
    2 bay leaves

  • 125ml white vinegar

  • 40g caster sugar (roughly 3tbsp)

  • 30g raisins, soaked in hot water for half an hour

  • 1 1/2 tbsp pine nuts

  • Salt to taste

Directions

  • Fill 2/3 of a pot or saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add the baby onions with skins on. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove the onions from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and place them in a bowl of cold or ice water. 
  • After 2 minutes, remove the baby onions from the water and peel off their skin (which should come out quite easily at this point). Set aside.
  • Get a frying pan hot over medium heat and add the butter and olive oil. Let the butter and olive oil melt and get hot for a minute or two.
  • Add the onions, white vinegar, sugar and bay leaves to the pan. Turn the onions to coat with the mixture. Let them sizzle until you get some browning on a couple sides of the onion, about 5 to 10 minutes depending on the variety you have used.
  • Remove the raisins from their liquid and squeeze them in your hand to remove the excess liquid. Add them to the pan alongside the pine nuts. Toss to combine.
  • Add salt to taste and toss to combine again. Serve warm.

Notes

  • The best onions to create the perfect ‘in agrodolce’ dish are ‘cipolline borettane’, which are small and flat, pearl-white disk shaped onions. However, they are extremely difficult to find outside Italy, so any type of baby onions or even small shallots can be used instead.
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