Cipolline Onions: What Are and How Do I Cook Them?

Somehow I managed to miss the existence of Cipolline onions until yesterday, when I stumbled across a bag of them at my local grocery store.  These onions are tiny, although not quite as tiny as pearl onions. 

They’re cute the way baby carrots or other miniature vegetables are cute.  They taste stronger than scallions and need about 45 minutes of roasting in the oven to be soft enough to enjoy.

They’re pronounced chih-poh-LEE-nee.  Cipolla is the Italian name for onion, and Cipolline means small onion.

Roast Cipollini – serves 4 

1/2 pound (8 ounces) cipolline onions 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 

Salt 

Black pepper 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Scrape the papery skin off the onions with a sharp knife.  Or boil them in water for 1 minute and then pull off the skin.  The first layer of the onion may also come off.  Trim the ends.  

Put the onions in a small ovenproof container or cake pan.  Pour the oil and vinegar over them and shake the pan to coat the onions.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Roast, uncovered, stirring the onions occasionally, for about 45 minutes, or until they can be easily pierced with a fork.  Serve immediately.

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