Ingredients:

• 12 medium or large eggs
• Skins from 15 yellow Spanish onions
• 2 tablespoons of white vinegar
• 4 1/2 cups of water

What You will Need:

• Fresh uncooked eggs at room temperature
• Skins from yellow Spanish onions
• White vinegar
• Stainless steel saucepan
• Strainer
• Bowl
• Slotted spoon
• Paper towels
• Cooling racks
• Tulle or women’s nylon stockings and thread
• Onion skins or parsley leaves
• Olive oil (or other edible) for polishing

Method:

• Making of the dye with the onion skins:
• Commercial dyes are available, but this old-fashioned natural method creates red eggs with a deep rich color.
• The following method is for one dozen red eggs.
• It may sound counterintuitive, but the skins of yellow Spanish onions work wonderfully!
• Carefully wash and remove any particles from the surface of the eggs.
• If the eggs were in the refrigerator, take them out ahead of time to be at room temperature in order not to break during boiling.
• In a stainless steel saucepan, place the skins from 15 yellow Spanish onions (you have kept and saved ahead of time), 2 tablespoons of white vinegar in 4 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat and simmer with a covered saucepan for about 30 minutes.
• Strain the dye into a glass bowl and let it cool down to room temperature. (Don’t be fooled by the orange color.)
• We take tulle from wedding sweets box in sizes big enough that could be wrapped and be tied up round each egg.
• If tulle is not available, women’s stockings can be used to wrap the eggs.
• Place onto the egg the pieces of onion skins in deferent shapes and wrap the egg with the tulle tight and tie it with thread.
• In a stainless steel saucepan, add the cooled strained onion dye and eggs at room temperature (up to 1 dozen).
• The eggs should be in one layer and covered by the dye.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat and when boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer.
• Dyeing time will be affected by the color of the eggs.
• Start checking for the coloring of the eggs after 12-15 minutes.
• Do not simmer more than 20 minutes.
• If the eggs are not a red enough color after 20 minutes, leave them in the pot with the dye and remove from the heat.
• When the pot is cooled down enough, let it sit until the desired color is reached.
• Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon, cut the thread, remove the tulle and the onion skin and place them on a rack to dry.
• When they cool down enough, coat them lightly with olive oil (or other edible oil) and polish with paper towel.
• Place the coloured Easter eggs in a nice decorated bowl and refrigerate until is time to use them.
• Good luck and Happy Easter “Xristos Anesti”.

Note:

• Save onion skins in a plastic bag in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Do not use any wooden, ceramic or plastic utensils as they can be coloured by the dye.
• If stainless cookware and utensils get coloured by the dye, wash with regular detergent and a small amount of chlorine.
• Rinse very well.