Chicken Soup with Tortellini (Pollo in Brodo con Tortellini)

1 (3 to 4 pound) broiler-fryer chicken, cut up
6 cups water
1 stalk celery (with leaves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into fourths
2 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 package commercial fresh tortellini or 20 homemade tortellini
2 cups water
Minced parsley
Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat chicken, 6 cups water, celery, carrot, onion, 2 sprigs parsley, bay leaf, salt and peppercorns to boiling in Dutch oven; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until thickest pieces of chicken are done, about 45 minutes. Remove chicken from broth; strain broth. Refrigerate chicken and broth separately until cool.

Remove chicken from bones and skin. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces; add to broth. Cover and refrigerate. Prepare tortellini. If using commercial tortellini, do not precook.

Skim fat from broth. Heat broth and 2 cups water to boiling. Add tortellini. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until tortellini are tender, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle each serving with minced parsley.

Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Yields 8 servings.