Cipollata Umbra
Cipollata Umbra is a rustic Umbrian onion and tomato soup, enriched with cured pork, thickened with beaten egg and pecorino, and poured over stale country bread.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 490 kcal
Equipment
- •heavy terracotta pot or Dutch oven
- •chef's knife
- •chopping board
- •whisk
- •wooden spoon
- •wide soup bowls
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 490 kcal
- fat
- 22 g
- carbs
- 52 g
- fibre
- 6 g
- protein
- 21 g
- calories
- 490 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Heat the extra virgin olive oil and diced pancetta in a heavy pot over medium-low heat until the fat renders gently.
- 2
Add all the sliced onions and half a teaspoon of fine salt, then stir thoroughly to coat.
- 3
Cover the pot and sweat the onions over very low heat for twenty minutes until they collapse, turn translucent, and release liquid.
- 4
Uncover the pot and cook gently for ten minutes, stirring often, until the onions turn sweet and pale golden without browning harshly.
- 5
Pour in the crushed plum tomatoes and hot broth, stirring well to combine.
- 6
Simmer the soup uncovered over low heat for twenty minutes until the broth reduces slightly and the flavours meld.
- 7
Whisk the eggs, grated pecorino cheese, and a pinch of black pepper together in a small bowl until blended.
- 8
Reduce the heat to low, then pour the egg mixture into the simmering soup in a thin stream while stirring constantly.
- 9
Remove from the heat as soon as soft, velvety threads form throughout the broth.
- 10
Place a thick slice of stale bread in the bottom of each warm bowl.
- 11
Ladle the steaming onion soup over the bread, rest for two minutes to let the crumb soak, and serve with extra pecorino.
Chef's tips
Cook the onions very slowly on low heat so their natural sugars release without scorching or turning bitter. Do not boil the soup rapidly after adding the beaten eggs, or the egg will curdle into hard pellets instead of forming silky, tender shreds.
Ingredient substitutions
- pancetta tesa → guanciale, lardo, or omit entirely and use extra olive oil for a meatless version
- Pecorino Umbro → Parmigiano Reggiano or a mature Pecorino Romano, using slightly less salt if using Romano
- stale rustic country bread → stale un-salted Italian loaf (pane sciapo) or a thick slice of country sourdough
Storage
Store leftovers without bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming hot, adding a splash of water if too thick, then ladle over fresh stale bread.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Frying the onions on high heat, which scorches the edges and turns the soup broth bitter instead of mellow and sweet.
- •Dumping the eggs in all at once without stirring, which produces a rubbery mass rather than delicate ribbons.
- •Using fresh, soft sandwich bread that disintegrates instantly into paste when the hot broth is ladled over.
Serving suggestions
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