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Cipolline in umido (Baby Onions Braised in Tomato Sauce)

Total Time45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 500 g 16 oz. cipollini onions (see Notes), trimmed and peeled
  • 350 ml 12 fluid oz. passata di pomodoro or canned tomatoes passed through a food mill, plus enough water to cover the onions
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • A pinch of sugar optional

Instructions

  • Cover the bottom of a pan large enough to hold all the onions in one layer with olive oil. Add the onions and roll them around so they are all covered with the oil. Add the passata di pomodoro and enough water, if needed, to just barely cover the onions. Season generously with salt and pepper (and, if using the sugar).
  • Bring the onions to a simmer over moderate heat, cover and then lower the heat. Let the onions braise for 20-30 minutes or so, until the onions are perfectly tender and the tomato sauce is well reduced. (The oil should have visibly separated from the tomato and the sauce should cling to the onions.) If the onions are done before the sauce has sufficiently reduced, uncover the pot and increase the flame until you've reached the consistency you want.

Notes

The onions can be served immediately or made entirely ahead and reheated when you want them.