Spanish picadillo soup

This dish, typical of the Andalusia region, is called "picadillo" because the ingredients are chopped. It’s normally a starter on Christmas Eve dinner, but it’s so delicious and easy to prepare that you’ll want to eat it all-year-round.

Ingredients: (serves 4)

• 1 L chicken and vegetable broth (homemade is best)

• 100 g short capellini-type wheat pasta for soup (e.g., Garofalo’s capellini spezzati)

• 4 eggs

• 200 g serrano ham slices or diced (or 200 g precooked smoked bacon in slices or chopped)

• 200 g white bread [see tips] or croutons

• mild 0.4º olive oil

• salt

1. Boil the eggs for 10 minutes [see tips below]. Then, remove the pot from heat, discard the cooking water, refill with cold water, and let the eggs rest to cool.

2. Prepare the serrano ham or bacon if you bought it in slices: - serrano ham: cut into small pieces with scissors. Set aside. - bacon: cut into small strips and fry in a little oil. Transfer fried strips to a small bowl with a slotted spoon and let cool.

3. If you're making your own croutons: slice the bread, then cut into cubes. Fry in at least 3 fingers of mild 0.4º olive oil until lightly golden. [see tips below]

4. Peel and dice the eggs. Set aside in a bowl.

5. Pour the broth in a pot and check the salt. Heat until it starts to boil and add the pasta. Remove from heat and let the pasta sit for a few minutes for it to soften.

6. Serve the broth with the pasta in bowls, letting each diner add diced egg, serrano ham/bacon, and croutons to taste.

   I wasn't planning on making this recipe anytime soon, so the photo is partly AI made with my instructions, and heavily Photoshopped by me as well.   USEFUL TIPS FOR THIS RECIPE

   croutons:

   - If you want to make your own croutons, store the bread in a plastic bag the night before so it will go a little stale, making it easier to slice and dice.

   - The type of bread you use is key. Candeal bread, with its crust and dense crumb, is the best, as it absorbs little oil and stays crispy. Other breads you can use are dense crumb breads like sourdough, and crusty breads like ciabatta or baguette.

   - Don’t over-fry the croutons, or they’ll taste bitter.

   - It's best to use mild 0.4º olive oil for frying the croutons, as extra virgin olive oil can impart too strong a flavor.

   serrano ham: In Spain we use “punta de jamón” (the tip or narrow end of serrano ham, opposite the hoof) for picadillo soup, but it may not be available in your country. It’s also used for making broth.

   eggs:

   - Before boiling eggs, always check freshness: fill a pot with cold water and place the eggs at the bottom. If they lie flat, they’re fresh. If they stand on one end, they’re less fresh but edible if cooked. If they float they are old and you should discard them.

   - To prevent the eggs from cracking while boiling, add a splash of vinegar to the water. Bring water to a boil at high heat, then reduce to medium for 10 minutes. After boiling, discard the water, refill with cold water, and let the eggs cool before peeling.