Active Time: 1.5 hours
Total Time: 3 hours
Yield: 8-10 servings; about 20 cups
Stock:
- 1 (3 1/2 lb) chicken, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 8 pieces
- 2 celery ribs, cut into 2 inch lengths
- 2 carrots, quartered
- 1 large onion, left unpeeled, trimmed and halved
- 2 garlic cloves
- 6 fresh parsley stems (without leaves)
- 1 Turkish bay leaf or 1/2 California bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 4 quarts cold water
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
Meatballs:
- 1 C 1/4 inch pieces Italian bread
- 1 C whole milk
- 1 lb meat loaf mix (equal parts ground beef, pork, and veal)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3/4 C finely grated pecorino romano
- 1/4 C finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- About 2 C vegetable oil
Soup:
- 5 C water
- 1 large onion, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
- 3 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 1 (3 by 2 inch) piece pecorino Romano rind (about 1/3 inch thick) if you can’t find, substitute with 1/3 C finely grated cheese
- 1 medium head escarole, touch stems discarded leaves, chopped (about 5 C)
- Salt and pepper
Make the Stock: Combine all ingredients in an 8-10 quart pot and bring to a boil; skim froth. Reduce heat and simmer gently, uncovered, skimming froth occasionally, for 2 hours. Remove from heat.
Form and Fry Meatballs: stir together bread and milk in a large bowl and let stand for 10 minutes. Add meat, garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper and blend with your hands just until well combined (do not overmix). Form scant tablespoons into meatballs; you will have about 60 (meatballs will be very moist).
Heat 1 inch oil in a 12 inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Cook meatballs in 3 batches (do not overcrowd), turning occasionally, until well browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Make Soup: Remove chicken from pot nad pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. IF using stock immediately, skim off and discard fat. If not, cool stock completely, uncovered, then refrigerate, covered, utnil cold; remove congealed fat from chilled stock. You should have about 3 quarts stock; if you have less, add enough water to make 3 quarts.
When chicken is cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones and coarsely shred enough chicken into bite sized pieces to measure about 3 cups (reserve remaining chicken for another use).
Return stcok to cleaned pot and add 5 cups water. Add onion, carrots, celery, and cheese rind and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are crisp tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in escarole, cover and bring to a boil. Add meatballs and simmer, uncovered, until escarole is very tender and meatballs are heated through, about 10 minutes. Discard cheese rind, stir in shredded chicken and season with salt and pepper.
Serve with grated cheese.
Gourmet