Why it works: Parsley and pepper match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 34,122 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓
Stracciatella I
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Put the broth in a large pot and bring to a boil.
Separately, combine eggs, cheese, and parsley, and beat until the cheese and parsley are moistened.
Make the soup
Once the broth is at a rolling boil, use a whisk to stir the fluid.
Slowly add the egg mixture, keeping the broth at a boil so the egg cooks quickly.
Remove from heat and add pepper.
Serve
Serve immediately, or reheat and serve very hot.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 6 of 7 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 100g cooked | 165 |
| Parmesan Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 110 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Nutmeg | 1 tsp ground (2.2g) | 12 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Parsley | 1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g) | 1 |
| Semolina | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Parsley + peppertop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together34,122 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Parsley + nutmegtop 3% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,062 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Pepper + nutmegtop 7% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together13,015 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Nutmeg + semolinatop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together53 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
-
Parmesan cheese + peppertop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,322 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Set into delicate ribbons as they cook in the hot broth, giving the soup its texture.
- Parmesan cheese
- Adds savory, salty depth and helps flavor the egg mixture as it blends into the broth.
- Chicken broth
- Forms the liquid base that carries the flavor and cooks the egg into strands.
The step that matters
Slowly add the egg mixture to the boiling broth. Pouring the egg in slowly while the broth is at a full boil and being stirred lets it cook into thin strands instead of clumping into large, rubbery pieces.
Swap the nutmeg
The recipe marks nutmeg as optional. How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (chicken, egg, parmesan cheese, parsley, pepper, semolina):
- Basilfits better
- Thymefits better
- Garlicfits better
- Nutmegthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against chicken, egg, parmesan cheese, parsley, pepper, semolina. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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