Stracciatella Tteokguk

Method

1. Soak the rice cakes in cold water for 20 min. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl with the grated parmesan, parsley and nutmeg. This mixture is what forms the soft cheesy egg ribbons in the broth.

   Add in this stepEggs 2Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated 30 gFlat-leaf parsley, chopped 2 tbspGround nutmeg 1 pinch

2. Put half the olive oil and the sliced garlic in a 18 cm pot and cook gently over medium-low heat for 1 min. As soon as the garlic smells fragrant, just before it colours, move on; browned garlic turns bitter.

   Add in this stepExtra virgin olive oil ¾ tbspGarlic cloves, thinly sliced 2

   medium-low heat

3. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil over high heat, about 6 min. Shop-bought stock is often salty, so hold off on the salt for now.

   Add in this stepChicken stock (low-salt; shop-bought is fine) 850 ml

   high heat

4. Drain the rice cakes, add them and cook over medium-high heat for 5 min. When they float and feel soft, taste the broth and season with salt.

   Add in this stepSliced rice cakes for soup 240 gSalt to taste

   medium-high heat

5. Add the spinach and cook over medium heat for 30 sec, just until it wilts. Turn down to low heat, then pour in the egg mixture in a thin stream while slowly stirring the broth with a fork, and leave it for 1 min until it sets into soft rags. Over high heat the egg turns rubbery and the cheese clumps.

   Add in this stepBaby spinach 60 g

   medium heat→low heat

6. Turn off the heat, grate the lemon zest straight over the pot, add the pepper and drizzle with the rest of the olive oil. Serve at once. Grate only the yellow skin; the white pith is bitter.

   Add in this stepLemon, zest only ½Coarsely ground black pepper 1 pinchExtra virgin olive oil ¾ tbsp