MA Lemony Stracciatella with Spinach & Parmesan

What You’ll Use

Parmesan broth

Pre-washed baby spinach 

Eggs

Grated Parmesan cheese

Cooked orzo

Lemon

Flatbread

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the broth to a simmer. Roughly chop 2 cups of the remaining spinach. In a glass measuring pitcher, whisk together 2 eggs and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Add the spinach and cooked orzo to the pan, and simmer until the spinach is tender and the orzo is warmed through, 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, and slowly pour the egg mixture into the broth, stirring constantly. Add the juice of 1 lemon and season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Toast the flatbread, tear it into pieces, and wrap in a towel to keep warm. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and serve warm, with the flatbread for dunking.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Step 1

To prep the stracciatella, chop 4 cloves of garlic. In a pot over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the vegetable broth, 1½ cups water, and the Parmesan rind. Bring to a gentle simmer, turn down the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Let cool, remove and discard the rind, transfer the broth to an airtight container, and refrigerate. 

Step 2

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add ⅓ cup orzo and cook until barely al dente, 5 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain the orzo, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and toss to separate the pieces. Let cool, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate. 

Step 3

To prep the fritters, chop 4 green onions. Chop 2 cloves of garlic. Chop a handful of parsley, including some of the stems. In a bowl, combine half of the cooked quinoa (1 container), half of the feta (1 container), 2 eggs, the green onions, garlic, and parsley. Sprinkle with ¼ cup flour, season with 1 teaspoon salt and a generous grind of pepper, and mix to combine. Scoop out mounds of about ¼ cup, and gently shape the mixture into 12 fritters. 

Step 4

In a large cast-iron skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat, pour in vegetable oil to about ¼-inch deep. When the oil shimmers, working in batches if necessary, add the fritters and fry until golden brown and crispy, 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let cool, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate.

Step 5

To prep the salad, rinse and drain the chickpeas. Finely chop about ½ cup red onion. Combine the chickpeas and red onion in a bowl, drizzle with the red wine vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper, and turn to coat. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.