Whether it is with cardoon, known as cardone in Abruzzo, with rustic pizza and meatballs, or without rustic pizza but with stracciatella, or with scrippelle or with vegetables (escarole) and rustic fritters, Christmas broth in Abruzzo is a must.
And it is a "rich" broth, one of those that is prepared once a year. We do not hear about it very often, but there are many recipes with cardoons typical of Italy. Today's example is eaten during the most important lunch of the year, Christmas lunch, and is even one of the main courses. Brodo col cardone, far from being a mere vegetable soup, is a unique dish based on cardoons, pallottine (veal meatballs) and stracciatella di uova, that is scrambled eggs with cheese. The peculiarity of this rich soup is in its preparation: all the ingredients, especially the broth which is usually made of chicken, capon or turkey, are prepared well in advance and each one on its own. The assemblage happens only at the end, just the time to be flavored and to be promptly picked up by the quivering spoons of the diners.
