This Saturday I’ll be back on my home turf, speaking at the Pittsburgh Public Market about writing, cooking and writing a seafood cookbook. While I’m in town, I won’t just be talking about food. I’ll also be eating my way through the city. Primanti’s fry-filled sandwiches, Pamela’s massive pancakes and Pierogies Plus’s handmade namesakes all appear on the weekend menu. Somewhere along the way I hope to encounter a bowl of steaming stracciatella, too. To me, stracciatella is what plain, old chicken noodle soup is to most—a restorative dish for when you’re cold, sick, blue or just craving a taste of home.
A specialty of Rome but popular throughout Central Italy and, of course, my hometown, stracciatella may remind the uninitiated of egg drop soup. Granted, it does feature two of the same major ingredients, eggs and chicken stock. Yet the resulting dish seems far more velvety and savory than the Chinese soup. I suspect that the ever-present Parmesan cheese and occasional addition of herbs such as basil and parsley are what make the Italian version so desirable.
To make stracciatella, grated Parmesan is whisked together with eggs, pepper and salt. The mixture is then drizzled into a boiling chicken broth. Cooked as they swirl about in the liquid, the cheesy eggs form the soup’s telltale, ragged strands. At this point herbs may be added to the mixture.
Who makes the best stracciatella in the ‘burgh? Give me the weekend and I’ll let you know.
STRACCIATELLA
When adding the eggs, make a point of stirring the liquid as you pour. This way you’ll ensure that you have shards of egg rather than one big, cheese-infused blob.
7 cups chicken stock
3 eggs
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
Bring the stock to a boil. Whisk together the eggs, cheese, basil, salt and pepper.
Slowly pour the egg mixture into the boiling stock, stirring to break up the eggs. Continue to boil for about 5 minutes, stirring periodically to keep the eggs from sticking together. Serve immediately.