Onion Soup, Italian style 

This is the recipe for French onion soup, a classic and delicious onion soup au gratin also known as Soupe à l'oignon, a dish that is typically served in Paris bistros especially as an entrée in the first days of the new year. If you want to make an Italian variant of light onion soup, do not use butter and Gruyere, but olive oil and Parmesan. A soft onion soup is the most pleasant way to warm up an autumn dinner with taste and delicacy. Easy to make, this onion soup au gratin is a satisfying first course. To be enjoyed as a cuddle. 

When I finished the soup and tasted it, I thought that in my life few recipes had left me speechless with heart-shaped eyes. An enveloping dish that pampers and warms you, between different flavors and textures: the sweetness of the onion, the scent of thyme, the taste of the broth and the crunchiness of the bread covered with stringy Parmesan. What can I say? Viva l'Italia! I'll tell you a little trick, which you may already know, so as not to cry while slicing the onions: divide them in half, peel them and keep them soaking in a bowl with cold water for 15 minutes. 

Ingredients

800 g Golden onions

100 g olive oil

1 tablespoon flour 

100 ml Dry white wine

1 l chicken broth (or beef or vegetable)

3 pinches Fine salt

Black pepper to taste

200 g parmesan

2 bay leaves (fresh)

1 sprig Thyme (fresh)

1 clove Garlic

8 slices Toasted bread

How to make onion soup

Peel the onions, cut them in half and soak them in a bowl with cold water for 15 minutes (this will reduce the side effect of tears), then drain and slice them. Put the oil in a pan (preferably non-stick or terracotta) and add the onions, let them cook over low heat for about 10 -15 minutes, stirring occasionally. They must wither and not brown. Now add the sifted flour and mix well and vigorously so as not to form lumps. Raise the heat keeping it medium and blend with the wine, letting it evaporate until it almost completely withdraws, then add the chicken broth and season with salt (two or three pinches). Add the bay leaves and the sprig of thyme, lower the heat and cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cut a few slices of homemade bread and put them to toast on a plate. The amount you decide, I used 8 divided in half, in order to get 16 small slices, 4 per portion to put two on the bottom of the bowl, and two above. If you use the baguette the slices are already very small, you will not need to divide them. Once the bread is toasted, lightly rub the slices with the clove of garlic. Take care of the parmesan: cut it into cubes and transfer it to a mixer, or scratch it by hand with the grater and keep it aside in a bowl. As soon as the soup is ready (it should not be too soupy but not dry either) turn off and turn on the oven at 200 ° C. Prepare 4 bowls of terracotta or cocotte, lay two slices of toasted bread on the bottom and pour over the soup, then finish with two more slices on top and a generous sprinkling of parmesan. Bake in grill mode until the cheese has melted and has formed a crispy crust on the surface, then take it out of the oven, sprinkle with a little pepper and enjoy it hot and stringy!