Calabrian Asparagus Soup
Submitted by azura
Rustic Calabrian asparagus soup thickened with eggs and Parmigiano-Reggiano, ladled over toasted Italian bread. A silky, savory Italian egg-drop soup ready in one hour.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
35 minREADY
60 minStraight from the kitchens of Calabria, this rustic Italian asparagus soup uses the classic stracciatella technique of tempering beaten eggs into hot broth to create a silky, custard-like texture.
Two pounds of fresh asparagus get simmered in vegetable broth with garlic until tender. Then a mixture of beaten eggs and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano gets slowly whisked in off the boil, thickening the soup into something velvety and rich without a drop of cream.
Each bowl starts with a slice of toasted Italian bread on the bottom, soaking up the hot soup like a savory bread pudding.
It’s the kind of humble, nothing-wasted cooking that Italian nonnas have practiced for generations.
Chef Tips
- Temper the eggs slowly. Ladle hot broth into the egg mixture a little at a time while whisking constantly. Dumping it in all at once will scramble the eggs into lumps.
- Never let the soup boil after adding the eggs. Keep the heat at moderately low and whisk continuously. Boiling curdles the egg and ruins the silky texture.
- Day-old bread is actually preferred here. Slightly stale bread absorbs the soup without dissolving into mush.
- Finish each bowl with an extra shower of grated Parmigiano. The salty, nutty flavor ties everything together.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large saucepan, cook the garlic in the olive oil over minutes.
Add the asparagus and cook until bright green, about 5 Add the salt, pepper and Vegetable Broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer until the asparagus are tender, about 15 minutes. In a small bowl, beat the eggs with ½ cup of the cheese. Reduce the heat to low so that the soup is no longer simmering, and very slowly ladle about 2 cups of the hot soup into the beaten eggs, whisking constantly. Once incorporated, gradually stir the egg mixture into the soup in the saucepan. Increase the heat to moderately low and cook the soup, whisking constantly, until it just thickens, about 8 minutes. Do not allow the soup to boil or the eggs will curdle. Remove from the heat. Place one slide of toasted bread into each soup bowl. Ladle the hot soup on top and serve with additional grated cheese. NOTE: Thickening soup with bread is typical of rustic Italian cooking, in which nothing goes to waste. The toasts may be made from day-old or slightly stale bread.
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