Nonna’s Classic Stracciatella Soup

‘Tis the season to be sick!

It seems that everyone in the world is sick right now.  Well, of course, the swine flu is buzzing around, but so are some other nasty viruses.  Stepping on to the morning commuter train to work is like stepping into a walk-in clinic.  Everyone around me is coughing, sneezing and blowing their noses.  It’s actually pretty gross.  Sounds to me like everyone could use a nice hot bowl of Stracciatella.

Stracciatella is a classic Italian soup that is so hearty and flavorful that it could easily be served as a main course.  Not only is it delicious, but it is also just what the doctor (or in my case my Nonna) orders when I feel coughy, sneezy and sick.

My amazing Grandma and I

Some of you may know this as Italian wedding soup.  I’ve seen it on some shelves of grocery stores and I have given it a shot.  Stracciatella is one of my favorite dishes, so I was more than a little curious to see how the manga cakes served it up. Sorry to say, it’s not even close to the real thing!

Enjoy my grandmother’s age-old, top secret, Napolitano classic Stracciatella recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 head of escarole
• 2 small chicken breasts or 1 large
• 2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• salt

Cut off end of escarole.  Fill large bowl with cold water and wash thoroughly.  Place in
colander to drain.

Directions for cooking the chicken stock:

Take chicken breast and wash thoroughly removing the skin.  You can leave on if desired.  Pour 2 litres of water in pot and bring to boil.  Place the chicken breast in boiling water.  Watch for fat to rise and remove the fat with spoon.  Repeat until all fat is removed.  Let chicken simmer and check to see when cooked. When the chicken is fully cooked, remove from water to cool, but leave the pot on stove as you will need the stock.

*After you chop up the chicken breast, you can discard the bone, or drop it back into the soup.  This will make it tastier!

istock photo

Directions for cooking escarole:

Fill separate pot with 2 liters of water and bring to boil.  Drop in the washed escarole.
Check to see when the escarole is fully cooked.  This can be done by picking up one leaf and pinching it.  If it is tender to touch, then it is cooked. Do not overcook.  When the escarole is cooked, remove from pot and drain in colander and let cool.   When the escarole has cooled, chop it up and place in separate bowl.

Take the cooled chicken breast and remove from the bone.  Chop up the meat and place it in the chicken stock along with the escarole (which should be chopped up as well).

Take 1 egg and crack in bowl.  Add 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese and salt to taste and beat with fork or whisk.

While stirring the soup, drop the egg mixture into the soup, and stir again immediately so mixture is spread evenly.

Voila – you have Stracciatella!

Simmer the Stracciatella for a few minutes.

Pour into soup bowls and enjoy.  Add extra Parmesan cheese, if you like!

Serves 6.