Hot Stracciatella Soup and Warm Holiday Wishes!

copyright 2010 art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati
 Anticipating my Christmas in Italy this year and planning my menu…I am reflecting  (for lack of a better word)on(what will be) a  continuing 24 hour meal, from Christmas Eve to the end of Christmas Day. One feels as though they have just finished one meal and soon  starts another without a pause in between.  Christmas Day dinner ,which is usually eaten around 1 or 2 pm begins with a light soup. Although I know this soup as  Stracciatella- different regions have their own names for this dish as well as their own variations. This is a welcome  dish to start a meal on a cold, blustery day. This year, in many parts of the World, Christmas Day should be  a  snowy one..and   this soup (an Italian comfort food) always a ‘comfort food’ )adds to the warmth of the Holiday season..
Stracciatella Soup

This soup serves 4-6
 
*4 egg yolks
*¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese
*½ cup homemade breadcrumbs (no spices added)
*pinch of salt
*pinch of nutmeg
*grated zest of one lemon
8 cups chicken broth (can also use vegetable broth for vegetarians). Homemade broth is always best. (Check out The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition– for a recipes for Homemade Broth)
 
Blend together in a bowl the first 6 ingredients. Work them until they are well blended and a form mixture is formed. Simmer broth in a large pot. When broth is simmering whisk in egg yolk mixture with a wire whisk. Simmer for 4 minutes and serve immediately with freshly grated parmigiana-reggiano cheese and finely chopped parsley on top.
 For  easy and festive Holiday recipes get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition