Seeing as winter is coming on (even in Los Angeles, it’s all relative) I have a hankering for my favorite soups.

Cipollata is high on my list.   It is an Italian answer to French Onion Soup.

From “Easy Italian Cookery”, Grange Books, 1986.

3tbs olive oil

1/4lbs to 1/2 lbs pancetta

1 to 1 1/2 liter chicken stock.   Make it good.

14oz canned good quality Italian tomatoes, with juice

1 small chilli or chilli flakes.

black pepper

Basil

Goo Parmesan Cheese

Slices French bread, toasted.

Cloves of skinned garlic

Heat oil in large sauce pan or Dutch onion, fry sliced Pancetta for a few minutes, do not brown.

Slice onions into long thin slices, add to oil, turn to coat the oil, lower heat, and cook slowly for one hour until the onions are almost melted.   Mind that they do not burn.

Add chicken stock, tomatoes with juice, chilli (finely chopped, no seeds!), salt and pepper.  Cover and cook for 30 minutes.

To serve, add basil and Parmesan cheese, slice bread, toast, scrape with garlic.   Place one or two pieces of bread in a bowl, pour soup over, enjoy.

What does the cool weather make you crave?

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VegasBabe
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Sounds delicious K7. but for some reason, I WOKE UP today thinking about chicken and dumplings. I think I’ll use your suggestion for next weekend. I didn’t know you could cook!! 🙂

Mogamboguru
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VegasBabe – ALL real men can cook! 😉

BigDogMom
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BigDogMom

Kev, this looks good, this is definitely a step up from the standard onion soup that I make. The hubbsters and I live on soups in the winter and love trying new ones, sometimes I just make them up with whatever I have in the fridge at the time.

I see that you are using a cookbook from the ’80’s, my best cookbooks are from bygone years, my Mother’s dated 1955 and my Betty Crocker, Big Betty I call her, from 1978…they seem to be fat and butter laden recipes, but I love them!

Khirad
Member

Not really great on fancy cooking or anything. This may not be kosher but I consolidated two recipes found online. Start with this:

http://www.persiancity.com/recipes/recipe.asp?ID=70

In addition, add turmeric and cardamom – feel it out to taste is best I can tell you. Fesenjan can also be made with your choice of meat, or no meat (I would suggest substituting with a paneer or European type equivalent, or if vegan, you could try firm tofu?). Serve alone or with saffron rice or white rice (topped off with sumac if you got it), etc. This and many other Persian soups and stews are perfect for winter. Made this for a group of friends and all were complimenting it and asking what was in it. And don’t forget the tea!

PatsyT
Member

KevenSeven
How do think a vegetarian version of this would turn out?

nellie
Member

kevenseven — hope you don’t mind, I added a preview photo. The soup looks a little like Cipollata.

It sounds delicious.

Obama20082012
Member

How many onions? Not that it matters, I would use more anyways.

Questinia
Member

Oh, Thanks Kev. This is a nice twist on monochromatic French onion soup. Will definitely try!

choicelady
Member

Well, if I leave out the bread (I’m wheat intolerant) will it still be as good as it sounds? Non-wheat breads mostly suck (a technical term) so…