Tuscan White Onion Soup With Crostini Recipes

TUSCAN ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Saute pancetta in a large sauce pan over medium heat until it starts to brown, remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
• Add the oil and onions and cook over high heat 4 minutes.
• Stir in garlic, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until onions are soft and golden brown.
• Add chicken broth, parsley, salt and pepper bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
• While soup is cooking, heat broiler and toast bread on both sides.
• Butter one side of the toast, sprinkle with cheese and cut into bite size pieces.
• To serve, add pancetta, ladle into 4 soup bowls and top with the toasted cheese croutons.

TUSCAN ONION SOUP (CARABACCIA)

Steps:

• Trim ends off onions; halve and peel. Cut onions into thin slices lengthwise along the grain.
• Heat olive oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and kosher salt. Cook and stir until starting to turn translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and sweet, about 1 hour.
• Add sage leaves, pepper, cinnamon, and almonds to the onions. Cook and stir until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a soup pot. Pour in red wine vinegar and broth. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors blend, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Place Italian bread on the baking sheet. Drizzle some olive oil over the bread; sprinkle sliced sage and some Parmesan cheese on top.
• Toast in the preheated oven until browned, about 15 minutes.
• Ladle soup into serving bowls and top each with a piece of toast. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the toast and sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese on top. Dunk toast into the soup and let soak for a few minutes before serving.

TUSCAN WHITE BEAN CROSTINI

Steps:

• Combine beans, bell pepper and onion in large bowl.
• Whisk together vinegar, parsley, oil, garlic, oregano and black pepper in small bowl.
• Pour over bean mixture; toss to coat.
• Cover; refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
• Arrange bread slices in single layer on large nonstick baking sheet or broiler pan.
• Broil, 6 to 8 inches from heat, 30 to 45 seconds or until bread slices are lightly toasted.
• Remove; cool completely.
• Top each toasted bread slice with about 3 T. bean mixture.

TUSCAN ONION SOUP (CARABACCIA)

Steps:

• Purée pancetta, celery, garlic and carrots in a food processor until mixture is a coarse paste.
• In an eight-quart pan, heat 1/3 cup olive oil, rosemary and sage over medium-high heat for two minutes. Add paste, turn heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring frequently, for five minutes. Add white wine, and simmer 10 minutes more.
• Add onions, salt and red pepper, and sauté over low heat, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and some have turned golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Add balsamic vinegar and stock, and simmer 25 minutes over low heat. Add spice mixture and peas, and cook 5 minutes more. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
• While soup simmers, bring 2 cups water and the white wine vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat until no bubbles break surface of water. Crack two eggs into water, and cook 4 minutes. Gently spoon eggs out of water, and reserve in a shallow dish with water in it. Bring water back to a boil, and repeat process until all the eggs are poached.
• Lightly toast bread. Brush each slice with olive oil, and sprinkle with two teaspoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Toast again or broil until cheese has melted, about two minutes.
• Lay a slice of toast in each of six deep soup bowls, and top with a poached egg. Ladle soup over egg, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and serve.