Ingredients
- 6 cups Bread day-old crusty bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 tbsp Olive oil divided: 1 tablespoon for bread, 3 for soup
6 cloves Garlic thinly sliced- 2 oz Ham fully cooked, finely chopped
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ tsp Paprika sweet Spanish paprika
4 Egg large
¼ cup Parsley fresh, chopped; to finish
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Toss the bread cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread in one layer on a baking sheet. Toast for about 10–15 minutes, stirring once, until dry and lightly golden; check early if the bread is already very dry.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a wide soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and stir for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and pale gold, without letting it darken. Add the cooked ham and stir for 1 minute. Remove briefly from the heat, stir in the paprika for about 15 seconds, then immediately add the broth so the paprika does not scorch.
- Add the toasted bread and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring gently, until the bread softens and the broth is flavorful. Taste before adding salt because the ham and broth contribute salt.
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer. Crack each egg into a small cup, then slide it onto a different area of the soup. Cover and cook for about 6–10 minutes, checking until both whites and yolks are firm; add time if needed. Do not rely on set whites alone.
- Ladle into four bowls, placing one fully cooked egg in each. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
Day-old bread is suitable; discard bread with any mold. Soft sandwich bread can collapse more quickly than a crusty loaf. The bread thickens and softens into the broth rather than staying crisp.
Cook eggs until both the yolks and whites are firm. For make-ahead meals, prepare the soup base and cook fresh eggs at serving time. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and use within 3 days; reheat to 165°F (74°C), adding broth as needed.
Adapted from Katie Hale at Scrambled Chefs, with specified oil allocation, oven temperature and egg doneness guidance.
