Certaldo's Onion

"Certaldo is a Castle of Val d'Elsa placed in our county ... in which he used a long time to go every year one of the friars of St. Anthony’s brotherhood, whose name was Friar Cipolla, perhaps more for the name than for any other devotion gladly welcomed, as it is known that the land produces onions that are famous throughout Tuscany." So wrote John Boccaccio, in the sixth book of the "Decameron."

 

Prior to Friar Cipolla is the inclusion of the onion in the emblem of the town of Certaldo, symbol and flag of an ordinary people of ancient rural traditions. Cultivated in large quantities in the surrounding land, it has the potential to be a prominent element for the country's economy. The garrison of Slow Food with the support of the Consortium Certaldo 2000, is recovering idle land to start a cooperative to increase production and marketing of the product. One specialty actually born in Certaldo is the onion marmalade, excellent with cheese and boiled meat.

 

 

Here are two recipes with ths specialty:

 

Onion soup

Sauté onion in olive oil without letting it burn. If it tends to darken add vegetable broth until it is cooked well. Pass through a sieve, and add the previously boiled and mashed potatoes. Stretch again with vegetable broth to form a thick cream. Set upon it Tuscan bread roasted. Add pepper and extra virgin olive oil.

 

Boiled remade or Frenchwoman

Make a broth with calf muscle. When the muscle is boiled, leave it cool. Meanwhile, cut the onion into slices and place it in a pan with extra virgin olive oil. Add chopped tomatoes, cut into small squares the boiled muscle, and add it. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over low heat until the meat is well mixed with the onion. Add the beef broth to keep all very soft.