What did they used to eat in Italy?!

[NickM]

Which cuisine is it that doesn't use onions?

 

[Fnaar]

Which cuisine is it that doesn't use onions?

I'd wager that it isn't a main ingredient in Inuit cuisine. But then I'm a bit skint anyhoo.

 

[Twenty Inch]

Italy's cuisine is incredibly diverse - it's not all puttanesca and ragu.

 

[theclaud]

Which cuisine is it that doesn't use onions?

I know Jains don't do alliums, or root vegetables. My knowledge of their cuisine stops there...

 

[NickM]

Ah, it seems to be Brahmins who for some reason best known to themselves regard the humble onion as "unclean".

Bloomin cheek! Their loss, anyway

 

[NickM]

NickM's tomato-based spaghetti sauce

refined over more than twenty years!

Chop 1 onion; fry gently in olive oil with 1/2 packet lardons until translucent. Then give it a bit of a blast to create a few brown edges.

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Add 1tsp dried basil and 1tsp dried oregano.

Chop 3 large tins of plum tomatos, discarding stem end and any green or hard bits; add with their juice to the pan and return to the heat.

Add: 4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp "condimento" (Italian chilli seasoning, in jar from deli)
1/2 tsp muscovado sugar
about 1/3 of a nutmeg, finely grated
(optionally) 3 tsp capers, rinsed

Simmer until significantly reduced and thickened - about 1 hour. Serve on a bed of spaghetti lunghi, tossed in butter and with parmesan added (before adding the sauce).

 

[theclaud]

Ah, it seems to be Brahmins who for some reason best known to themselves regard the humble onion as "unclean".

Bloomin cheek! Their loss, anyway

Quite. Which reminds me of a very good Ligurian dish, senza pomodoro:

http://italianfood.about.com/od/sundryvegetables/r/blr1197.htm

 

[NickM]

Hmmm, that does sound rather good. I've got the Cookery Circle here onto it

 

[theclaud]

Hmmm, that does sound rather good. I've got the Cookery Circle here onto it

Excellent. I got them through the marvellous Alastair Little, but his recipe doesn't seem to be online. Forget the eggs, and include some anchovies, capers and a bit of chilli. Chop off only the top quarter of the onion and scoop all but two layers out of it to make deep and very pleasing onion bowls. Chop up all the onion you've removed and fry it before adding it to the other stuff. Pile it all ridiculously high back into the onions - you'll be amazed at the height you can get on them .

 

[Zippy]

Ah, it seems to be Brahmins who for some reason best known to themselves regard the humble onion as "unclean".

I think this is because they consider that the onion has undergone many past lives, hence the many peels that make up an onion, so they wouldn't want to inherit all that kama.

 

[Crankarm]

Does tomato ala pomodoro with Campagnolo on the side count ?