Italian Stracciatella.
This soup originated in Rome and is a classic example of how Italian cooks make magic with a creative approach to the simplest of ingredients. If you love egg drop soup, you’ll love this recipe. I’ve supercharged my version with rosemary chicken meatballs and perfectly crispy crackers. Trust me, everyone will love this one.
Ingredients
The meatballs:
- 1 1/2 lbs ground chicken
- 1/2 onion diced fine
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
- 1 zest of one lemon
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp parsley chopped
- 1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1⁄2 tsp salt
The soup:
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1⁄3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
- 4 cups chicken broth
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh parsley, minced (to garnish)
- 1 pinch of nutmeg (optional)
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375. Combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl and gently combine, do not over mix. Roll into small 2” balls by hand or with a scoop while avoiding compressing the mixture. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 165.
- In a medium saucepan, warm the chicken stock over medium-high heat. Bring to a gentle boil or simmer. In the meantime, beat the eggs, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and a pinch of black pepper and nutmeg in a mixing bowl. Whisk until combined. Lower heat to barely simmering. While whisking the simmering broth, slowly pour the egg mixture into the broth. Return the soup to a simmer, then remove from the heat.
- Pour the soup into serving bowls and add meatballs to each bowl. Dust with parmesan, coarsely chopped italian parsley and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. We love this soup with a traditional sea salt cracker, or croccantini.
