The Catania-style onions are one of the most beloved symbols of Sicilian street food, particularly in the city of Catania.
These are delicious puff pastry bundles filled with stewed onions, tomato sauce, cooked ham, and melty cheese.
Crunchy on the outside and soft inside, they combine simple but intense flavors, encapsulating all the warmth of the Etnean gastronomic tradition.
Perfect to serve at an aperitif or a buffet party along with Sicilian rollò, Palermo-style sfincione and arancini.
See also
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 4 sheets of puff pastry (rectangular)
- 2 onions (medium)
- 6 slices cooked ham
- 7 oz tomato sauce (or 1 tbsp of tomato paste)
- 6 slices scamorza cheese
- 1 egg (for brushing)
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper (ground)
Tools
- 1 Knife
- 1 Baking pan
- 1 Brush silicone
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Pan
- 1 Cooling rack
Steps
To prepare the Catania-style onions, first focus on preparing the filling, which will need time to cool, thus avoiding making the puff pastry too soggy.
Peel, wash, and slice the onions and put them in a pan to stew with a drizzle of olive oil.
Cook on low heat to prevent burning.
Then add the tomato sauce, salt, and pepper to taste, and let it cook until the sauce thickens, and the onions are completely softened (add a bit of water if necessary).
When the onion sauce is cooled, overlap two sheets of puff pastry and divide them to obtain 6 pieces.
In the center of each, place the cooked ham, a spoonful of onion sauce, and finally, a slice of scamorza cheese.
Fold into a bundle, bringing the edges towards the center and overlapping them to prevent them from opening during cooking.
