Soups:

Italian Easter Soup

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Ingredients

8 cups basic chicken broth (see recipe above)
1 carrot, peeled and minced
1 onion, peeled and minced
1 stalk celery, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup shredded cooked chicken
1 pound ground lean beef
1 pound ricotta cheese
1 egg
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup freshly minced parsley

Instructions

Place the chicken broth in a wide pot over low heat. Add the vegetables and simmer for 40 minutes. Add the shredded chicken.

Meanwhile place the ground beef in a bowl and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1 tablespoon minced parsley. Form the meat into balls that are about 1 inch in diameter. Using a spoon, gently slide the meatballs into the broth. Do not raise heat or stir, but use a spoon to gently turn meatballs so that they cook evenly.

Place the ricotta and the egg in a bowl and season with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1 tablespoon minced parsley. Stir well to combine.

After the meatballs have cooked for 20 minutes, use a teaspoon to form ricotta dumplings and carefully slide them into the broth. Do not raise the heat or touch the dumplings until they hare set, about seven minutes.

Adjust the seasoning of the soup with additional salt and pepper. Carefully ladle the soup into warmed bowls, garnishing each with the remaining parsley and serve. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Dispatch/Argus food editor Lisa Mohr