Chicken Soup with Tortellini
(Pollo in Brodo con Tortellini)

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 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

Instructions

1. 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.
2. Remove chicken from broth; strain broth.
3. Refrigerate chicken and broth separately until cool.
4. Remove chicken from bones and skin. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces; add to broth. Cover and refrigerate.
5. Prepare tortellini. If using commercial tortellini, do not precook.
6. 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.
7. Sprinkle each serving with minced parsley.
8. Serve with Parmesan cheese.