2 Eggs
1 Large slice of bread
1 Beef stock cube (to be dissolved in 3/4 pint - 1 3/4 cups of boiling water)
Enough Parmesan cheese (grated) for a generous sprinkle
Note 1: the ingredients in the list are for one person, but if you have guests, always consider 2 eggs, 1 slice of bread and 1 3/4 cups per person .
Note 2: eggs must be absolutely fresh (ideally use free range organic eggs).
Note 3: in the past, stale bread was used for this recipe. Use whatever bread you want but a home made loaf of countryside bread is the best best!
1 Large slice of bread
1 Beef stock cube (to be dissolved in 3/4 pint - 1 3/4 cups of boiling water)
Enough Parmesan cheese (grated) for a generous sprinkle
Note 1: the ingredients in the list are for one person, but if you have guests, always consider 2 eggs, 1 slice of bread and 1 3/4 cups per person .
Note 2: eggs must be absolutely fresh (ideally use free range organic eggs).
Note 3: in the past, stale bread was used for this recipe. Use whatever bread you want but a home made loaf of countryside bread is the best best!
Remove the hard crust from the bread and cut into pieces that will fit in your soup bowls.
In the meantime, put your chicken stock in a small saucepan and bring it just to a boil.
The traditional way of eating this dish is to
Reduce the heat until it's almost completely calm and only the tiniest of bubbles float to the surface. Carefully break the eggs into the water, cook for 1 minute, and then remove the pan from the heat. Sprinkle in the parsley, without stirring. Cook the eggs in the broth for 10 minutes, covered.
While the egg is cooking, melt the butter in a frying pan. Fry the bread until both sides are golden brown.
Warm a shallow soup bowl and place the toast in the bottom, sprinkle generously with parmigiano. When the egg is cooked, scoop out with a slotted spoon and place on top of the parmesan bread.
Quickly bring the broth to a rapid boil (not simmering) and ladle over everything in the bowl.
Garnish with an additional sprinkle of parm, and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy immediately.
Break the eggs over the bread.
Now, a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
The dish is ready for the adding of the stock. The stock must be boiling hot (not simmering) so raise the heat before adding it into the dish.
We add the stock to cover. The heat of the stock will partially cook the eggs. You can cover the dish with a plate and leave the dish alone for one minute or two, then you can serve the dish.
With this soup the eggs will never be thoroughly cooked, but this is it and I cannot change the tradition. However, if you are serving the soup to children or old people, you may consider poaching the eggs before laying them onto the bread; then you add the stock. Alternatively, before adding the stock, you can pass the dish under a grill, in order to cook the eggs, but you need to be careful not to burn the bread. Try it and find the solution that best suits you.
Feel free to add some ground black pepper if you wish.
