Avgolemono (Greek Egg-Lemon Soup)

La storia di questo piatto

Avgolemono is Greece's golden soup, where chicken broth, rice, eggs and fresh lemon meet in a single, tender harmony. It is a dish of the Greek table and of the kitchens that make it for the people they love, sunlit and quietly comforting.

Ingredienti

• 1.5 liters Chicken broth
• 90 g Medium-grain rice (such as Karolina or Originario)
• 4 pieces Eggs
• 3 pieces Fresh lemon
• 3 g Salt (to taste: taste first, the broth is already salty)
• 1 g Ground white pepper
• 10 g Fresh parsley or dill

Preparazione

1. Pour the chicken broth into the large pot and bring it to a vigorous boil. Add the rice and let it cook gently, stirring now and then so it doesn't stick to the bottom: it will be ready when the grains are tender and soft but still whole, not mushy.
2. While the rice cooks, crack the eggs into a wide bowl and beat them energetically with a whisk or fork, as if you wanted to incorporate air: they should become pale, puffy and slightly frothy on the surface.
3. Squeeze the lemons (you'll need about 100–120 ml of juice) and strain it through a sieve to remove seeds and pulp. Pour it slowly over the beaten eggs, stirring gently with the whisk or a wooden spoon, without rushing, so the mixture stays smooth and homogeneous.
4. When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and remove the pot from the flame. Let the broth rest for a minute off the boil so it drops to about 70–80°C. Take half a ladle of hot (not boiling) broth and pour it slowly over the eggs while stirring constantly: this step is the secret of the whole dish, because it warms the eggs gradually without cooking them suddenly, and it is what prevents unpleasant lumps.
5. Repeat, adding more hot broth to the eggs one ladle at a time, always stirring. Then pour the entire mixture into the pot with the heat off, turning constantly. If the soup isn't warm enough, return it to minimum heat, still stirring: it must never boil, otherwise the eggs will curdle into strands instead of giving the veiled creaminess that makes this soup special.
6. Taste and adjust the salt (the broth is already salty) and white pepper, using a light hand since the lemon already gives plenty of character. Ladle into well-warmed bowls, sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley or dill and serve immediately: this soup doesn't wait, it should be enjoyed hot and steaming.