A heritage of our Ligurian territory, the Egyptian Onion is a rare and ancient vegetable whose cultivation is limited to the areas of Ventimiglia and the Nervia Valley.
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Today, dear Friends of Pesto Fresco we are telling you about a particular Ligurian product with a mysteriously “Egyptian” name: the Egyptian Onion.
It is a product protected by the Ark of Taste, belonging to the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity Onlus.
The Egyptian onion, also known as tree onion or walking onion, is a rare and ancient vegetable grown mainly in Liguria.
Its cultivation is limited to the areas of Ventimiglia and the Nervia Valley, where some associations have promoted the cultivation and exchange of bulbils.
Its exact origins are not known-the name “Egyptian” is very mysterious.
The ancient Egyptians worshipped onions and believed that the spherical shape and concentric rings symbolized eternal life. They were even present in the tombs of pharaohs. However, it is not known for sure whether this variety actually came from the Egyptian civilization.
In particular, the Egyptian onion is very well adapted to the Ligurian climate: planted in the ground, it is capable of producing numerous aerial onions each year and for years to come, greatly increasing production.
Characterized by the maturation of a crown of small bulbils instead of the traditional flower, it is easy to grow: by burying the bulbs harvested from the mother plant in spring, the plant grows without too much attention and resists disease well.
Planting can also be done in the fall: in fact, it endures winter without difficulty. If it is not harvested, it vegetates again on its own. The top of the plant, which can reach up to 1.2 meters in height (hence the name tree onion), slowly bends under the weight of its own head until it touches the ground, where it roots giving rise to new plants. Hence, instead, the name walking onion.
Medium to large in size and with a rather leathery skin, the onion is eaten like any other variety: in soups, fried or raw in salads, while the bulbils are used like traditional spring onions, especially pickled.
The traditional products, local breeds, and knowledge collected in theArk of Taste belong to the communities that have preserved them over time.
They have been traced and described thanks to the efforts of the network that Slow Food has developed around the world with the goal of preserving them and spreading their knowledge.
Credits
Source: Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity Onlus
Image: www.blog.giallozafferano.it