Italian Egg Drop Soup (Stracciatella)

I have not had authentic Italian Stracciatella Soup since I was a child. The first, and only, time I ate it  in Italy was during a visit to my family's hometown of Roseto degli Abruzzi. My memories here revolve mostly around food, as we were served three course meals for lunch and dinner--who could forget that!

I opted for stracciatella soup at one of these lunchtime meals, and remember the irresistible odor and savory salty flavor as if it were yesterday. I have since tried to re-create this soup at home, with moderate success. (This could be a classic case of remembering something better than it actually was, but until I go back to Roseto to confirm, the memory will stand.)

Egg drop soup is a very simple creation, and makes a nice base to add additional ingredients and seasonings.

This time I added lots of parmesan--if you can't tell by the picture--and some fresh herbs I had on hand.

Serves ~4, takes 10 minutes to make with stock on hand.

Ingredients:
4 c chicken or vegetable stock OR 1 chicken soup recipe
1-2 eggs
Fresh parsley or other herbs, ~2 T
Freshly grated parmesan, as needed
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the stock over M heat and beat the egg in a small bowl until smooth. When the soup reaches a boil, drizzle in the egg while quickly stirring with a whisk or fork. Remove from heat and sprinkle with fresh herbs.

Serve in a bowl with grated parmesan and salt and pepper, as desired.

Note: Egg drop soup is not solely Italian, as I've had the chinese version in the past. For this variation, add fresh ginger, soy sauce, sliced bok choy, green onion, and omit the cheese.