Stracciatella with Dill and Sourdough Croutons

Photo by Robyn Maguire / Styled by Catrine Kelty

Stracciatella is an Italian egg drop soup that originated in Rome. It comes together with just a few basic ingredients—chicken stock, eggs and Parmesan cheese—that you most likely have on hand. Here I add chopped fresh dill for a bright note of spring flavor, but if you’re not a fan, any tender fresh herb such as parsley or chives would work just as well. For a crunchy topping, bits of day-old sourdough are tossed with olive oil and baked until crisp.

Serves 6

6 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken stock
4 eggs
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 ounce (about ½ cup) freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
¼ cup chopped fresh dill

CROUTONS
2 slices day-old sourdough bread, torn into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil salt, to taste

In a medium pot, bring the stock to a simmer.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, ½ teaspoon salt and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. While whisking the eggs, slowly add 1 ladleful of the hot stock to the mixture.

Stir the hot stock to create a little whirlpool. In a slow, steady stream, drizzle in the egg mixture. Gently stir the soup again to keep the whirlpool going, being careful not to break up the egg too much. Allow the egg to set—it should form small, ribbon-like curds. Taste the soup and add more salt if you like. Add the chopped dill.

Ladle into bowls, top with more Parmigiano and a few croutons. Serve immediately.

CROUTONS:
Preheat oven to 350° F. In a medium bowl, toss the torn bread with the olive oil until the pieces are well coated. Season with salt. Transfer to a rimmed sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until the pieces are golden brown and crisp. Set aside.

This recipe appeared in the Spring 2021 issue as part of a larger story called “Souper Foods.”