Sweet and Sour Onions in Venetian style

Recipe Courtesy of Chef Mama Isa

Today we made a really good side dish: Sweet & Sour Onions in Venetian style.

This delicious recipe is very famous in Venice and the name is "Segoe in dolsegarbo".

Dolsegarbo (in Italian AGRODOLCE) is a traditional sweet and sour sauce. Its name comes from "GARBO" (sour) and "DOLSE" (sweet). Agrodolce is made by reducing sour and sweet elements, traditionally red wine vinegar and sugar, with additional flavorings added, such as pine nuts and raisins.

INGREDIENTS (serves 6 people)
750 g small cipollini onions (in Italy we use Cipolle Borettane, a sort of flat pearl onions)
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
water (about 3/4 cup)
5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
50 g pine nuts
100 g raisins
salt to taste

DIRECTIONS
Peel and trim the small cipollini onions with a sharp paring knife. Then wash the onions.
Put the extra virgin olive oil in large frying pan over medium-low heat.
Add the onions and cook gently for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile use a frying pan, and toast the pine nuts over low heat for a few minutes. Set aside.
Add water, red wine vinegar, sugar, raisins, pine nuts, and salt. Stir well.
Simmer the mixture over the lowest heat possible for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
You may need to add more water from time to time if the onions start to stick to the bottom of the pan.
It is finished when everything has caramelized well, and the flavors have blended together!!
Cool and serve at room temperature.

Buon Appetito