Stracciatella

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Italian-Style Egg-Drop Soup

Ingredients:

Homemade broth

3lbs of beef plus bones (Ask your butcher for recommendations; brisket, flank or

chuck steak may work well) *

1 large whole onion, peeled

1 leek or the upper green part of leek leaves that are normally discarded

3 large stalks celery, cut in half and then pressed with the knife

3 medium carrots, cut in half and then again longitudinally

2 medium tomatoes

Salt

* If you prefer to make a chicken broth, simply substitute one whole chicken for the beef, and cook for approximately an hour and a half. (As soon as the chicken begins to fall apart, remove it from the pot.)

Stracciatella

6 to 7 cups of beef (or chicken) stock
4 large eggs
3 tablespoons DeLallo bread crumbs
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

4 oz freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1 tablespoon butter

½ tablespoon of freshly grated nutmeg Salt and pepper

Directions:

Homemade Broth

Rinse the bones in water, then place them at the bottom of a large soup pot; then add the meat, onion, carrots, celery and tomatoes. Add enough liquid so that the contents are covered by 3 inches of cold water. Cover the pot, and bring to a full boil. When boiling, lower the heat and simmer uncovered, skimming the fat and the scum from the top. A broth should never be stirred. Add salt. Continue to skim the impurities once in a while; using the bottom of the ladle in a circular movement on the surface of the broth which will move the fat to the sides of the pot so that you can easily remove it with a spoon. Cook for at least two to three hours, but if you see that some parts of the meat are breaking apart, remove them at once. Discard the bones and, if you can, part of the vegetables. Turn off the flame and let the broth sit for an hour or so. Remove the meat now (if it has remained intact) and put it aside. Strain the stock once or twice through a sieve into a large bowl. Remove whatever impurities and fat from the top that may still remain. Set the broth aside to cool, then keep the stock in the fridge; you may want to freeze part of it for later use.

Note: This type of broth also yields a large quantity of boiled, healthy and very tasty meat. When you put the meat aside, add a couple of ladles of the strained broth to the container. The bollito or lesso (boiled meat, as it's called in Italian, can be reheated. You'll have plenty of tender meat on hand to make delicious grilled sandwiches-just add cheese, and sautéed or raw vegetables if you like; or eat the lesso with salsa verde or in a salad with mayonnaise. In Italy, lesso-served warm or room temperature-is considered a real delicacy, served simply with extra virgin olive oil, lemon and salt.

Stracciatella

Separate one cup of the stock and chill (if it hasn't already been refrigerated). Heat the remaining 5 to 6 cups in a large saucepan until the broth boils. Meanwhile, combine the cold broth, eggs, bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl and whisk until well blended. Whisk the egg mixture into the boiling broth, stirring constantly. Turn the heat to low and cook for 2 or so minutes; continue to whisk constantly. Turn off the flame and add most of the parmigiano, and whisk the broth a couple more times. At the last "whisking," add some butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in warmed bowls topped with more grated Parmesan and parsley, if desired.

Serves 6Send to friendPrinter-friendly version