Torn-apart soup? It's Italian, and more subtle than the Chinese version - recipes

Sunset, August, 1991

Torn-apart soup seems, on the fact of it, to be an oxymoron--a contradictory statement akin to compulsory volunteer service or simplified tax form. Yet such a soup exists. It's called stracciatella, from the Italian verb stracciare, which means to tear apart.

The name was derived from the appearance of the egg, which forms strands or shreds when immersed in the hot broth. If you have eaten Chinese egg-drop soup, you've seen this torn-apart look. Stracciatella is bolder in appearance, however, than the wispy Chinese version.

Of the many Italian egg soups, stracciatella is the simplest to prepare, and there are many ways of making it. Some recipes mix the cheese with the egg before serving; other insist that the broth not be stirred after adding the eggs. Roberto Lancellotti's version is straightforward and delicious.

Stracciatella

4 to 5 cups regular-strength beef broth 3 tablespoons dry sherry 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 4 large eggs Freshly ground pepper Freshly grated parmesan cheese

In a 2-to 3-quart pan, bring broth to a boil; add sherry, nutmeg, and parsley. In a small bowl, beat eggs to blend. Reduce heat so soup barely simmers, then slowly pour egg in a spiral into broth.

Ladle steaming soup into bowls; add pepper and cheese to taste. Makes 5 or 6 cups, 4 or 5 first-course servings.

Per serving: 83 cal.; 5.9 g protein; 4 g fat (1.3 g sat.); 3 g carbo; 56 mg sodium; 170 mg chol.

If a bed-and-breakfast inn is worthy of its name, it should give you a quiet night's rest and a breakfast designed to spoil your appetite for lunch. Proprietors of such establishments have developed many a morning feast, largely in the area of hot breads and egg dishes. Earl Fraser sends us San Geronimo quiche from his inn in Taos, New Mexico, and it's hearty enough to fuel you for several hours of strolling through the thin, clean of this picturesque mountain town.

Fraser's crustless quiche--almost an omelet--has a regional flavor that comes from corn chips and salsa. We have taken the liberty of lightening it up a bit by eliminating 1/4 cup butter.

San Geronimo Quiche

1/2 cup milk 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 4 large eggs 3/4 pound (3 cups) shdredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 1/2 cups small-curd cottage cheese 1/2 cup crushed corn chips 1 teaspoon each sugar and baking powder Prepared salsa

In a large bowl, smoothly stir milk into flour, then add eggs, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, corn chips, sugar, and baking power; beat until well blended.

Pour into a 9- by 13-inch pan or baking dish. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 [degrees] oven until quiche is slightly puffed and appears set when the pan is gently shaken, about 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then cut into 12 equal rectangles. Transfer to plates using a wide spatula; and salsa to taste. Makes 12 servings.

Per serving: 203 cal.; 13 g protein; 14 g fat (7.8 g sat.) 6 g carbo.; 369 mg sodium; 106 mg cohol.