Licurdia

Name: Licurdia
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Calabrese
Ingredients: 1000 g sweet red onions (preferably cipolla rossa di tropea); 60 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 0.5 tsp peperoncino calabrese (dried calabrian chilli flakes); 20 g Plain flour; 1000 ml warm water or light vegetable stock; 1 tsp Fine sea salt; 4 slices pane casereccio (rustic stale country bread); 80 g pecorino crotonese (aged calabrian sheep's milk cheese); 60 g caciocavallo silano (stretched curd cheese from sila)

A traditional Calabrese red onion soup slowly simmered until sweet, ladled over thick toasted rustic bread and finished with sharp pecorino cheese.

🇮🇹Italy· Calabria

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 60 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 410 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

1000 g sweet red onions (preferably cipolla rossa di tropea) — peeled and thinly sliced
60 ml Extra virgin olive oil — Calabrian preferred
½ tsp peperoncino calabrese (dried calabrian chilli flakes) — or to taste
20 g Plain flour — for light thickening
1000 ml warm water or light vegetable stock — kept hot
1 tsp Fine sea salt — adjust to taste
4 slices pane casereccio (rustic stale country bread) — cut thick
80 g pecorino crotonese (aged calabrian sheep's milk cheese) — freshly grated
60 g caciocavallo silano (stretched curd cheese from sila) — coarsely grated

Equipment

•Heavy-bottomed pot
•Wooden spoon
•Chef's knife
•Toaster or grill pan
•Terracotta or soup bowls

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 410 kcal
fat: 16 g
carbs: 52 g
fibre: 6 g
protein: 14 g
calories: 410 kcal

Instructions

1
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat.
2
Add the sliced red onions and fine sea salt to the warm oil.
3
Cook slowly for twenty minutes until the onions are soft, translucent, and deeply sweet.
4
Stir in the chilli flakes and plain flour, cooking for two minutes to remove the raw taste.
5
Pour in the warm water or stock gradually, stirring continuously to prevent lumps.
6
Simmer gently uncovered for twenty minutes until the soup thickens slightly and flavours blend.
7
Toast the thick bread slices under a grill until golden and very crisp.
8
Place one slice of toasted bread in the base of each serving bowl.
9
Ladle the hot onion broth generously over the bread in each bowl.
10
Scatter the grated pecorino and caciocavallo over the top and rest two minutes before serving.

Chef's tips

Cook the onions very gently so they melt and release natural sugars without burning. Use dense sourdough with a thick crust so the bread absorbs broth without dissolving completely.

Ingredient substitutions

Cipolla Rossa di Tropea → sweet red onions or mild yellow onions
Pecorino Crotonese → aged Pecorino Romano or mature provolone
Caciocavallo Silano → provolone piccante or scamorza

Storage

Store leftover soup without bread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering, then pour over freshly toasted bread.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Frying the onions over high heat, which scorches them and turns the soup bitter.
•Using soft sliced sandwich bread that disintegrates immediately into mush.
•Pouring in cold liquid, which halts the cooking process and dulls the sweet flavour.

Serving suggestions

Serve piping hot in rustic earthenware bowls with extra pecorino at the table.Pair with a glass of medium-bodied Cirò Rosso red wine.Finish with a light swirl of raw extra virgin olive oil before eating.