Ingredients
Method
- Sauté: In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-low. Add garlic cloves and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Do not brown.
- Simmer: Add broth, bay leaf, thyme, and sage. Simmer for 25 minutes.
- Temper: Whisk eggs in a bowl. Slowly whisk in one cup of hot broth to the eggs, then pour the mixture back into the pot while stirring.
- Assemble: Place a slice of toasted bread in each bowl. Ladle soup over the bread.
- Finish: Garnish with parsley, salt, pepper, and a final drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- Garlic Selection: Use fresh, firm heads of garlic. Avoid jarred minced garlic, as it lacks the essential oils and mellow sweetness required for this broth.
- Heat Control: Maintain a low simmer. If the garlic browns during the initial sauté, it will turn the soup bitter; you want it translucent and soft.
- The Egg Ribbon: For a silkier texture, whisk the eggs vigorously while drizzling them in. This creates "stracciatella-style" ribbons rather than large clumps.
- Bread Choice: Use a sturdy, crusty loaf like sourdough or a rustic baguette. Soft sandwich bread will disintegrate too quickly in the hot broth.
- Make it Vegan: Omit the eggs and use a high-quality vegetable broth. To maintain the creamy mouthfeel, blend 1/4 cup of the simmered garlic cloves with a bit of broth before stirring it back in.
- Storage: Best enjoyed fresh. If reheating, do so over low heat to prevent the egg ribbons from becoming rubbery.