While ‘nduja might be the first food to spring to mind when one thinks of Calabria, the southern Italian region puts forth a delightful onion soup comprising one of the region’s most distinct ingredients: the Red Onion of Tropea. The PGI allium is harvested in clay soil which results in a particularly sweet flavor, unlike any other of its ilk.
The Tropea onion comprises dozens of Calabrian recipes, standing front and center in Licurdia, a Calabrian onion soup that couples the red Tropea onion with Caciocavallo Silano, a DOP cow's milk cheese produced in the Sila mountain range.
A recipe with humble origins, the onion soup packs simple ingredients that converge in a rich velvety flavor that juxtaposes the sweetness of the onion with the subtle spiciness of the cheese. If you can't find this particular caciocavallo, just use any caciocavallo variety or substitute provolone or scamorza.
The Recipe: Calabrian Onion Soup (Licurdia Calabrese)
Ingredients:
6 red onions (cipolle di Tropea)
2 potatoes
4 slices caciocavallo cheese
grated pecorino cheese
7 oz diced bread for croutons
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
red pepper flakes (optional)
Method:
Peel the red onions and slice them, then peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks. Transfer the onions and potatoes to a pot containing plenty of salted water. Let cook over low heat for about an hour covered with a lid. ‘Licurdia’ is usually spicy so if you'd like to add a kick to yours, go ahead and add the red pepper flakes (to taste).
While the onions and potatoes are cooking, bake the bread in the oven until toasted and cut into cubes. You can also toast the bread in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil for the croutons, as well. Slice the caciocavallo so it’s ready for when the soup is cooked.
Once the onions and potatoes are cooked thoroughly (and soft), pour the soup into a bowl or cup over the bread croutons and cheese (that have already been placed at the bottom).
Wait a few minutes for the cheese to melt. Add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of grated Pecorino cheese (plus some red pepper flakes) before serving.