Crispy Onion Rings | Oven-Baked Breaded Onion Rings

Trim the root and tip from the onions and peel them. With a sharp knife, cut them crosswise into 1 cm-thick slices. Separate the rings from the outside inward with your fingers, and use only rings wider than 3 cm; the small inner rings will not hold the coating, so save them for another dish. Arrange the rings in a single layer on a plate and pat the surface dry with paper towels.

In the first bowl, combine the flour with half the salt. Put the beaten eggs in the second bowl. In the third, mix the breadcrumbs with the paprika and remaining salt. Line up the bowls and keep one hand for dry ingredients and the other for wet; using both hands for everything will leave clumps of batter on your fingers and make the coating uneven.

Dredge each ring in flour and shake off the excess, dip it in the egg, then press and turn it in the breadcrumbs. If you skip the flour layer, the egg will not stick to the slick onion surface and the coating will slide off in the oven. Arrange the coated rings on a parchment-lined baking sheet without letting them touch, then brush or spray them with olive oil.

Bake on the upper rack of an oven preheated to 200°C / 390°F for about 20 minutes, turning the rings individually with tongs at minute 12. They are ready when the coating is deep golden on both sides and a knife tip passes into the onion without resistance. As soon as they come out of the oven, sprinkle with an extra pinch of salt; salt added while hot sticks to the surface, while salt added after cooling falls off.