Better Than Chicken Noodle: The 500-Year-Old Spanish Garlic Soup That Defines Comfort Food

In the hectic world that we are living in, most people tend to spend some time on cooking something at home rather than wasting money on cafes or deliveries, thus opting for comfort food recipes.

However, those used again and again can cause a desire to discover something completely new and probably exotic but not difficult to make. Well, this Castilian soup is just what you’ve been looking for: despite the simplicity, it’s both hearty and extremely tasty.

Ingredients: 1.2 liters of beef broth (or water), 150 g of stale white bread, 6 eggs, 100 g of ham (preferably air-dried), 2–3 tbsp of rendered lard or butter, 3–4 cloves of garlic, 1 tbsp of paprika, 1 tsp of cumin, salt to taste.

In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the fat and add the coarsely chopped garlic, frying until lightly golden. Then add the sliced ham and let it brown slightly.

Add the bread pieces and cook everything together for a couple of minutes so the bread absorbs the flavors. Sprinkle in the paprika, stir quickly, and immediately pour in the hot broth or water.

Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and pour into individual bowls. Carefully crack an egg into each bowl and bake in the oven at 170°C for 5–10 minutes; the white should set, while the yolk remains soft.

Before serving, lightly grind some cumin and sprinkle it on top. Serve immediately while hot, fragrant, and nothing like ordinary soups.