Bread Soup (Zuppa Di Polpettine Di Pane)
Recipe copyright 2000, Mario Batali. All rights reserved
Brown Chicken Stock:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Bones, wings and scraps of 3 whole chickens, excess fat removed
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 onions, coarsely chopped
4 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
3 quarts water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 bunch parsley stems
Soup:
2 1-day-old baguettes, cut into chunks
2 cups milk
1/4 pound prosciutto, cut into 1/8-inch dice
1 cup plus 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
4 eggs, separated, yolks beaten
1 bunch Italian parsley, chopped to yield 1/4 cup
Salt and pepper
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for frying
In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil until smoking. Add the chicken bones and scraps and brown all over, stirring to avoid burning. Remove the chicken parts and reserve. Add the carrots, onions and celery and cook until soft and browned. Return the chicken bones to the pot and add 3 quarts of water, the tomato paste, peppercorns and parsley, stirring to dislodge the browned chicken and vegetable bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring almost to a boil, reduce to a simmer and allow to cook at a low simmer for 2 hours, until reduced by half, occasionally skimming excess fat. After cooking, remove from heat and strain out all solids, pressing them with the bottom of a ladle to extract out all liquids. Stir the stock to facilitate cooling and set aside. In a large shallow bowl, cover the bread with the milk. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Squeeze the milk from the bread by hand, cut the bread into a coarse dice and place in a medium bowl. Add the prosciutto and 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, egg yolks, parsley, and salt and pepper and roll into balls the size of a quarter.
Roll each ball in the egg whites, then the breadcrumbs. In a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the oil until almost smoking. Cook the balls until golden and remove to a plate lined with paper towels. When they’ve drained, divide them evenly among six warmed soup bowls, pour the hot broth over them and serve with the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano sprinkled over the top.
Yield: 6 servings
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