In the dishes of Massa’s cuisine, with strong but at the same time versatile flavors, the onion is a fundamental element for the success of its dishes. It is a characteristic product of the Massa area and the Apuan Riviera, with a round, flattened shape, a red color and a particularly crisp texture. The maritime climate, the influence of the area’s mostly sandy soil and its cultivation technique make the food suitable for a good versatility of dishes. In fact, the Massese onion can be eaten fried in rings, especially liked by children, but it can also be cooked under the ash, which gives it an almost smoky flavor. In the summer season, at seaside resorts instead it can be eaten raw and thinly sliced in salads, making the flavor of the dish decisive but at the same time fresh. Alternatively, if you do not appreciate its flavor in salads, it can be savored in a tasty fish dish as an accompaniment to other seasonal vegetables.
Its quality, conferred by the various factors listed above, also comes from its cultivation, which involves an ancient and traditional process. Onion plants are manually planted in furrows in the ground so that they grow crooked, and then harvested mainly in April, May and June. This ensures the formation of its sweetish flavor. Also typical of the Massese tradition is their packaging: once harvested and ready to be sold, the dried plants are in fact woven together to form the typical pitchfork that distinguishes them.