Stracciatella alla Romana (Italian Egg Drop Soup)
Named for the little shreds of egg it contains, this humble meal is the Roman incarnation of egg drop soup. Baby spinach adds a modern and healthful twist and makes stracciatella alla Romana a complete light meal with a piece of crusty whole-grain bread. You can double this recipe to feed more people.
Servings: 2
Calories: 174kcal
Ingredients
- 4 cups (475 ml) chicken stock
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ tablespoons (16 grams) finely ground semolina
- ¼ cup (60 grams) grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 5 ounces (140 grams) baby spinach
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice for serving optional
Instructions
- In a medium pot over medium-high heat, bring the chicken stock to a gentle boil.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl or spouted glass measuring cup, use a fork to whisk together the eggs, cheese, semolina, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- When the stock boils, add the spinach and cook until wilted, about a minute.
- Turn down the heat until the broth is simmering very gently. Begin swirling the broth with the fork. Pour in egg mixture in a slow stream.
- Continue swirling over low heat for 30 seconds or so after you've poured in all the egg mixture. It will set into tiny shreds and then begin to settle.
- Ladle into bowls, squeeze in some fresh lemon juice if you like, and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you have homemade chicken or turkey stock, this is a great place to use it. If not, a good-quality boxed chicken broth will work. To make this recipe vegetarian, you can substitute vegetable stock.
- Use pecorino, parmesan or a combination. Pecorino (made with sheep's milk) is a little bit saltier and tangier, while parmesan is a bit sweeter. They both work very well in stracciatella soup.
- Semolina is a flour used in pasta-making and sometimes in pizza dough. It's just a type of durum wheat with a very high gluten content, a flaxen color, and a coarser grind than all-purpose flour. In this recipe, semolina is used to thicken up the soup a bit. f you don't have it, you can grind up a little bit of panko or use very finely ground plain bread crumbs. Or — in a pinch — just leave it out.
- If you're seeking a slightly more substantial meal, try stirring in some cooked white beans, chickpeas, or shredded chicken after swirling in the eggs.
- This soup only takes a few minutes to make, and it's at its best shortly after cooking. I don't recommend making it in advance.If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day or two and reheat gently before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.3g | Protein: 15.2g | Fat: 8.6g | Fiber: 1.7g