Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                        *** the soup ***
   4      cups          basic chicken stock -- see * note
   4      cups          beef stock -- fresh or canned
                        salt -- to taste
                        freshly-ground black pepper -- to taste
                        *** the "rags" ***
   3                    eggs -- beaten
   4      tablespoons   semolina or regular flour
   4      tablespoons   parmesan cheese -- freshly-grated
   1      teaspoon      lemon peel -- finely-grated
   1      pinch         salt
                        *** the garnish ***
                        Italian parsley -- chopped
                        parmesan cheese -- freshly grated

Preparation:

* Note: See the "Basic Chicken Stock" recipe which is included in this collection. Mix the stocks for the soup in a large soup pot. Bring to a simmer and season to taste with the salt and pepper. Beat the eggs, flour and cheese together. Add the lemon peel and salt and 1/4 cup of the mixed soup stock. Move the simmering pot from the heat and pour the rag batter into the soup in a thin stream, pouring carefully all over the surface of the soup. Return to the heat and stir with a wooden spoon as the tatters and rags cook. Simmer for about 2 minutes. Serve very hot with the parsley and cheese garnish. This recipe serves 8 as a first course. Comments: I love the often amusing names that we put on food products. The "rags" in this soup come about when you pour an egg batter into the hot broth. As you gently stir, the little pieces of torn egg appear. The Chinese would call this "egg flower," but I will bet that your kids will get a bigger kick out of "rags" in their soup. This is a very popular soup in Rome and has been for hundreds of years.