ONION SOUP WITH RICOTTA AND HERB DUMPLINGS

This soup is best served as a main meal with the dumplings , but you may prepare the soup without the dumplings . So let's begin with preparing the soup . Melt 90 gm of butter / marg in a large pot and add 9 brown peeled and sliced onions . leave to cook over a medium heat until the onions have softened and changed to a golden colour . Now add 1 teaspoon of sugar , increasing the heat , stirring occasionally until there are lots of brown specks through the onions . Add 1 1/2 cups of dry white wine and 5 cups of vegetable stock and season with a pinch of cayenne pepper or a drizzle of sriracha. Bring to a slow boil and then reduce heat to a simmer , cover and cook gently for 30 minutes. To prepare the ricotta dumplings , place 2 egg whites in the bowl of your electric mixer and mix till frothy add 1 cup of ricotta and add 3 tbs of finely grated parmesan ( dried packet parmesan),1 dsp of dried marjoram , 1 dsp of dried thyme and 2 tbs of dried parsley , 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs and 1 tsp of cracked black pepper and 1 tbs of minced garlic . Mix to combine . Put a pot of lightly salted water on the stove to boil . Take teaspoonfuls of the dumpling mixture and push into the boiling water with a second spoon . Wet the spoons in the boiling water to ensure the next dumpling slides off easily (repeat this process ) . Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on kitchen paper when they rise to the surface . To serve reheat the dumplings in the soup for 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through before serving . I really enjoy this soup as a main meal .