Stracciatella

 

Stracciatella, authentic Roman cuisine, is an Italian egg drop soup. You can make your own broth or use the pre-made kind, which I would use a good quality organic broth. There are only a few ingredients, and this soup is easy to prepare. I like to serve it as a light primo piatto (first course) when the secondo piatto (second course) is more substantial. Christmas Eve, after a hearty antipasti platter, we had stracciatella, followed by lasagne with Italian sausages and broccolini. Concluding the meal was a very rich chocolate tiramisu. Come to think of it, the soup was the only light item on the menu.

Ingredients:

  • Chicken thigh
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 onion
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • Salt and pepper
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
  1. Peel and roughly chop carrot, peel and quarter onion, roughly chop celery.
  2. In a large saucepan, place chicken thighs, vegetables, water, salt and peppercorns.
  3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer covered for one hour.
  4. Strain stock through a sieve into another saucepan. Save chicken and vegetables for another use if you like, we will only be using the clear chicken stock.
  5. Skim a clean dry paper towel over the surface of hot sock to remove any grease. Repeat the process two or three times, using a clean paper towel each time.
  6. Beat eggs, finely grated cheese and parsley together.

Bring stock to a boil. While stirring vigorously with one hand, gradually add egg mixture in a thin stream with the other. After all the egg mixture has been added, continue stirring over heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add salt and pepper to taste.

 

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