Stracciatella Soup

This is the quintessential Italian Soup recipe I grew up eating – solely on special occasions.  Only at Christmas and Easter.

I guess that’s why I decided to try it last week; Easter was around the corner.

When I was little we’d have Christmas dinner at my aunt’s then my mother would host Easter.

My poor mother was riddled with anxiety over hosting her inlaws.  My Italian grandmother passed away before I was born so my aunt was a maternal figure for my dad.  Plus, as my mom puts it, my aunt, Emilia, is the best cook she’s ever met.

I’m trying to put my myself in my mother’s position but I know my aunt would never judge, she would just appreciate the effort and time together with her brother and his family.

I can hear my mother’s voice in my head, she’s saying, “yeah, yeah, easy for you to say”

🤣

In my mother’s defence, she worked full time and then she had this huge meal to prepare with little, to no help.  Plus this was back in the 80’s and 90’s… no google to help.

No Pinterest, no Youtube, no Yummly…

you get the idea.

Omg, do you remember Was with Yan????

He was awesome!

I guess this is a common theme among most women; we are way too hard on ourselves and usually put way too much pressure on ourselves.  We feel like the world expects us to work like we don’t have children then parent like we don’t work.

Impossible stanards – totally self-imposed.

Anyway the fact that my aunt is a really gentle soul didn’t ease my poor mother’s nerves.

The Old Tradition:

So to start we’d have an antipasto plate, usually with prosciutto wrapped on cantaloupe or bread sticks, olives – one green and one black, marinated mushrooms, marinated calamari and a wedge of brie.

Then we’d move on to this soup.

At my aunt’s, my uncle was the one who made the chicken broth or stock (I use these terms interchangeably) but she’d make the egg mixture.  She taught my sister how to make this – not me.  For no other reason but my sister is 8 years older than me.  She taught her the authentic way most Italians cook – a pinch here, a dash there… When you develop recipes for other people you really need to quantify ingredients.

I asked my sister how many eggs she uses – 1, I use 2 when its for more than 2 people.

I think this is why its so fluffy and pillowy.

I’m going to send this recipe to my aunt to get her opinion… I can’t make it for her.  With covid, we have to be careful because my aunt and uncle are much older than me. and our kids are little germ bandits 🤣

After the soup we’d have:

Lasagna

Then we’d have…

Turkey

with…

Roasted Potatoes

and vegetables – I remember:

Green beans

and…

Tomatoes

and of course a…

Green salad

These are of course, my recipes but you get the idea!!!

After resting for a bit, we’d have fruit then dessert.

Over the years we have lightened up and lessened the portions!

Here I present my humble version of Italian Stracciatella Soup, I hope I made my aunt proud ❤️

This is how you make it:

Bring your stock to a boil then drop the temperature to a simmer (medium-low).

Whisk the egg, breadcrumbs and parmesan together; pour into the simmering stock.

Let the egg mixture cook until it starts to separate on its own, then stir it with spoon a spoon to break it up:

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve immediately 🙂

It’s hot… be careful!

Enjoy 🙂

Product used in this Recipe:

Truth be told, there isn’t anyone on the planet that doesn’t sneak 1 or 2 bouillon cubes into their homemade chicken broth… I’m willing to bet money on that.

With that in mind, my favourite brand is:

Aurora 

I used no-name, plain breadcrumbs and store-bought eggs.

If possible, I recommend free-range, organic eggs.

The New Tradition:

Now that we’re grown up, my sister and I host the holidays.

I do Christmas and she does Easter.  We alternate between Thanksgiving and Mother’s Day.  To be honest though, I don’t think either of us feel the pressure that my mother used to feel.  I guess its because we have each other to rely on ❤️

 

 

This is a recipe for an Italian classic soup that comes together in seconds; Italian egg drop soup, infused with parmesan cheese 🙂

 

 

Other recipes you might like:

 

Tortellini Soup

 

Turkey and Rice Soup

 

Pasta e Fagioli

 

 

 

 

Print