Stracciatella: The shredded soup
Stracciatella is a classic of Italian comfort food.
By Piergiorgio and Amy Nicoletti
Stracciatella is a classic of Italian comfort food, yet impossible to find in a restaurant. It's ideal in the fall and winter, very nutritious and beloved by children-and it's often recommended for people with a cold or flu. I make it for my wife at the first sign of her feeling "under the weather" and she swears by it. She insists it even settles her stomach when nothing else appeals to her. Depending on what ails you, you can vary the ingredients of stracciatella (see recipe below)-making it more or less rich or savory-following your cravings.
"Straccetti" means "little shreds" and refers to the soup's delicate shreds of cooked egg. (The soup, by the way, must not be confused with the chocolate-chip ice cream of the same name.) The Chinese have a similar soup, familiar to many of us as egg-drop soup; but the Italian version is heartier and tastier-the nutmeg, parmigiano and the quality of the broth make all the difference! The soup originated in Rome and in its original form, it is delightful in its simplicity. But, of course, there are variations: one version has spinach and another one adds pastina (baby pasta). You will not get arrested (nor even fined), if you use bouillon cubes or another substitute broth preparation; but if time allows, try to make your own broth-not just because it tastes better, but also because there is nothing like homemade broth to give you strength when you're sick. If you have a large pot and space in your freezer, you can even prepare a larger quantity of stock by increasing the amount of meat and using two onions instead of one. You'll have enough broth for soups and risotto-and also a lot of tasty, lean and tender meat on hand to eat with salsa verde, or in a salad with mayonnaise-or just as it is.
