Stracciatella: who doesn’t love it?
Most of us probably think about the gelato flavor when the word pops up in a conversation, but truth is that the term actually encompasses three unique Italian culinary creations: a soup, a cheese, and a, as we said, a popular variety of ice cream. From the humble soup born in Roman kitchens to the creamy cheese from Puglia, all the way to the chocolate and vanilla gelato invented in the 1960s, stracciatella is a delicious way to explore Italian food history.
The origin of stracciatella soup
The earliest form of stracciatella can be traced back to 19th-century Rome. This comforting soup was created out of practicality, as a way to make use of leftover chicken broth during the festive season. Made by whisking an egg into hot broth, the resulting strands of egg resemble shreds, giving the soup its name—stracciatella, which comes from the Italian word straccia, meaning “shred” or “rag.”
Simple and flavorful, stracciatella soup became a beloved dish not only in Rome but throughout Italy. The concept was adapted in various regions, with each adding its own twist to the recipe. In some areas, the dish became known as minestra paradiso, a name hinting at the heavenly satisfaction this humble meal provides. Internationally, it’s often compared to the well-known “egg drop soup” found in other cultures, especially Eastern Asian cuisine.
Stracciatella ice cream: a 20th-century sweet invention
Stracciatella’s second form came into existence much later, in the 1960s, when it took on a sweet transformation in the form of ice cream. In the northern Italian city of Bergamo, an inventive gelato maker, Enrico Panattoni, experimented with creating a new flavor that mirrored the texture of stracciatella soup. By pouring melted chocolate into smooth, cold fiordilatte (milk-flavored) ice cream, he produced delicate chocolate shards throughout the creamy base.
This simple yet ingenious technique quickly became a hit, giving rise to stracciatella gelato, which is now a staple in ice cream parlors across Italy. The contrast between the smooth cream and the crisp chocolate bits makes for a delightful experience, and it remains one of the most popular gelato flavors today.
Stracciatella cheese: a creamy Apulian delight
Stracciatella cheese is the third variant and originates from the Puglia region in southern Italy. This cheese was developed in the early 20th century and is the brainchild of necessity during a period of economic hardship. Farmers, keen to waste nothing, began to make use of leftover mozzarella curds, mixing them with cream to create a soft, shredded cheese, which — you guessed it! — took the name of stracciatella.
The result is a creamy, slightly tangy cheese that is now best known as the luscious filling inside burrata, another famous Italian cheese. Burrata’s outer shell is made of solid mozzarella, while the inside is filled with rich stracciatella, which makes it an fantastic addition to salads and pizzas, or enjoyed simply with bread. Stracciatella cheese itself can also be used as a standalone ingredient, and is often found on pasta dishes or as part of antipasti.
Cultural and culinary importance
Each form of stracciatella give us an interesting perspective on Italy’s culinary creativity. Despite their differences, they share the same core principle: they are born from the ingenuity of making the most out of available ingredients, whether in times of abundance or scarcity. Because they are ubiquitous and, for the soup, very easy to make, Italy’s stracciatelle are simple to try if you visit il Belpaese. Try them all, and tell us what’s your favorite!
