Italian cuisine · Soups & Stews

Zuppa Pavese

Lombard farmhouse soup: hot beef broth poured over toasted buttered bread and a raw egg that poaches in it.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 1.2 l strong beef broth
• 4 slices day-old white bread
• 4 eggs
• 60 g parmesan
• 40 g butter
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Bring the broth to a boil in a pot, season it, and keep it hot over low heat - it must be truly at a rolling boil when poured, otherwise the egg won't set.
2. Cut the bread slices to the size of the soup bowls and finely grate the parmesan.
3. Let butter foam in a pan and toast the bread slices in it over medium heat for 2 min per side until golden brown.
4. Place one bread slice in each preheated, ovenproof soup bowl and sprinkle with half of the parmesan.
5. Carefully slide one egg onto the bread in each bowl, without breaking the yolk, and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
6. Slowly pour in the boiling broth from the side until the egg white turns milky and sets while the yolk is still runny, sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and serve immediately.