Spinach and Egg-Drop Pasta Soup

• Recipe by Tom Valenti

“In our house, stracciatella was a catch-all,” Tom Valenti says about this simple, rustic soup. “We started with good homemade stock and added whatever was around: beans, leftover sausage, shredded chicken.” With a few truffle shavings, this soup can be dressed up for a holiday dinner party.

Ingredients

1. 1/2 pound tubetti, ditali or other small pasta
2. 2 quarts chicken stock
3. 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4. 5 ounces baby spinach
5. Salt and freshly ground pepper
6. 4 large eggs, beaten
7. 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
8. Extra-virgin olive oil and lemon wedges, for drizzling

Directions

1. Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well.
2. In a saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer with the garlic; simmer for 3 minutes. Add the pasta and spinach and cook over moderate heat until the spinach wilts. Season with salt and pepper. Gently stir in the eggs, breaking them into long strands. Gently simmer the soup until the eggs are just firm, about 1 minute. Stir in the 1/2 cup of cheese. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil and serve, passing lemon wedges and more cheese on the side.