Cipenza Pio per Due

**Cipenza Pio per Due** is a rustic dish from the Campania region of southern Italy, specifically associated with the town of Camposano. The name translates to "Pious Onion for Two," though local etymology suggests "Cipenza" derives from the dialectal word for onion (*cipolla*), while "Pio" may refer to a traditional blessing or a historical patron. The dish is famously prepared at **Piccerella**, a family-run trattoria in Camposano, where creator **Braciamiancora** has championed it as a humble yet refined specialty.

Key ingredients include slowly caramelized onions, pecorino cheese, day-old bread, and a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Some versions incorporate anchovies or capers for saltiness. What distinguishes a great Cipenza Pio per Due is the balance between the sweetness of the onions and the sharpness of the cheese, achieved through low, patient cooking; the bread must soak up the juices without becoming mushy. Braciamiancora emphasizes that the dish is always prepared *per due* (for two), serving as a shared starter or a light main course meant to be eaten from a single earthenware dish.

Regional variations are scarce outside Camposano, but similar onion-based recipes exist in nearby Nola and Acerra, sometimes with the addition of eggs or cured pork. However, Piccerella’s version—with its precise ratio of ingredients and dedication to local onions—remains the definitive reference. As Braciamiancora notes, the dish “tastes like the slow rhythm of a Sunday in the courtyard.”