Zuppa Stracciatella

I do so love Potluck week over at I Heart Cooking Clubs. It always gives me the opportunity to post the recipes that I intended to make during the month, for other themes, and then had the month get away from me before I got them posted. Last week, I had my dish carefully planned out. I've been in the mood for soup, and Giada's Zuppa Stracciatella is a wonderful "Fall Favorite" for me.

Naturally, the days slipped by all too quickly until I suddenly realized that it was Friday, and I was out of the game once again.

Well, that's not stopping me this week! The temperature started bottoming out last night on my way home form work and the first thing on my mind when I got home was soup. This one is so easy to throw together, I can make a batch almost any night of the week, tweaking the recipe based on what I have available at the time. This week I was fresh out of parsley and basil, but I had a bag of gorgeous prosciutto tortellini from a recent trip to The Hill, which I threw in after the eggs cooked.

The idea of this soup isn't uniquely Italian. It is really no more than another version of egg drop soup with an Italian twist. And I love egg drop soup. For the one, the eggs are mixed with Parmesan cheese to thicken the ribbons of cooked egg in the soup. For some reason, mine didn't string out the way they usually do into savory threads (maybe I added too much cheese this time), but that didn't stop them from tasting delicious.

Put a few slices of artisan salume and a mix of marinated olives on the side and you have one fabulous fall meal.

This is my submission to this week's "Potluck" at I Heart Cooking Clubs as well as Presto Pasta Nights, being hosted by Oh Taste N See this week.

Zuppa Stracciatella
6 cups good quality chicken broth or stock
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp grated Parmesan
fresh Italian parsley and basil
1 cup baby spinach, cut in thin strips

In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Meanwhile, mix the cheese, parsley and basil with the beaten eggs. Stirring quickly in a clockwise motion, gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the hot stock, creating thready strips. Season the soup with salt and pepper.
For my variation, I added in a cup of  some lovely prosciutto tortellini and cooked it until the pasta was al dente and hot throughout.
Toss the spinach in just before serving so it doesn't lose its fresh green color.

Serve immediately.