
The whole cipollini gets used in this heart-warming, traditional Italian Christmas dish! Charred onion skins give a smoky finish to a dish you’ll crave all year long!
Difficulty: Hard
Yield: 6-8 servings
Ingredients:
- ~2 pounds (1 kg) cipollini onions, divided
Charred Onion Broth:
- Reserved cipollini peels and trim
- Olive oil, to drizzle
- Salt and pepper
- 1 leek, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2-3 fennel stalks, chopped
- 4 quarts (4 L) water
- 2 bay leaves
- 10-20 peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) nutritional yeast
- 4 whole sun-dried tomatoes, press out the oil (reserve oil to garnish)
- Salt
Wine-Poached Cipollinis:
- 1 bottle (25 fluid ounces/750 ml) dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio
- ¼ cup (60 ml) white balsamic vinegar
- Salt
Brodo:
- Prepared Ricotta Tortellini
- Charred Onion Broth
- Wine-Poached Cipollini Onions
- Sundried tomato oil, to garnish
Method:
Soak the unpeeled onions in a bowl of hot water or score and blanch them for 30 seconds in boiling water to loosen the skins.
Use a paring knife to remove just the tip of the root end to ensure that the onion stays together as it poaches.
Peel and trim the cipollinis, reserving the peels and trim and the peeled onions separately.
For the Charred Onion Broth:
Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C).
Toss the reserved peels and trim with olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread on a sheet tray
Roast until completely charred, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
In a large pot over high heat, combine the leek, celery, fennel, water, sage stems, bay leaves, peppercorns, nutritional yeast, sun-dried tomatoes, and the charred cipollini onion peels and trim.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the flavours are well combined.
Line a fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth. Strain well, reserving the stock and discarding the solids.
Season the reserved stock with salt and keep warm.
For the Wine-Poached Cipollinis:
Heat the wine and vinegar in a straight-sided saucepan over the lowest flame, ideal cooking temperature is 150-160 F (65-70 C).
Add the peeled onions and poach, uncovered, for 25-40 minutes, until just tender, not mushy.
Remove onions and reserve warm. Season with salt.
Reserve the poaching liquid for another recipe, if desired, or discard.
For the Brodo:
When ready, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
Cook the tortellini in the boiling water until it just floats, 1-2 minutes. Keep warm.
In heated bowls, ladle in Brodo, top with Wine Poached Cipollini Onions and the Ricotta Tortellini.
Drizzle lightly with the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes to garnish.