Stracciatella (Italian Egg Drop Soup)
When I was a teenager, this was one of the first soups I ever made. It’s so easy and since I’m a soup lover, this is comfort food for me. I wasn’t feeling well last week, so I made this for myself. It reminded me of being a kid again. I guess I wasn’t your typical teenage girl. I would come home from school sometimes on a cold rainy day in New Jersey and instead of hot chocolate or a PB & J like most teens, I made this soup. The fresh taste of the spinach and the rich taste of the cheese and the broth go so well with the egg and pastina.
It actually is a great soup to make in the summer too because it takes so little time to prepare. I hope when you make this soup you will enjoy it as much as I do.
Makes about 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 48 oz container of chicken stock
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- ½ onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1 (9oz bag) of fresh spinach chopped or 1 (10oz box) of frozen chopped spinach
- 2 tablespoon fresh or dried parsley chopped
- 1/2 cup of pastina pasta (the little stars)
- Salt and black pepper
Directions:
In a stockpot, heat the olive oil and add the garlic and the onion. Season with salt and pepper and sauté on medium high heat until onions are transparent (but not brown) about 2 minutes. Then add the chicken stock and bring to a light boil. Add the spinach and the parsley and turn down the heat slightly and cook for about 5 minutes while you make the egg mixture. In a bowl, combine the eggs and the cheese, and mix well with a fork until blended.
Turn up the heat on the stockpot and when the stock comes to a boil, add the pastina and give it a good mix so it doesn’t stick together. Cook for about 2 minutes and then whisk in the egg mixture with a fork and reduce heat immediately to low. Continue whisking lightly for a minute or two until eggs set. Remove from heat and let the pot sit for a minute or two. Then season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve topped with some extra grated cheese. Smile 🙂
