Home-made chicken stock is what elevates this delicious soup to a sure-fire classic, but canned stock will work in a pinch. (This recipe is a riff on one of Goldie’s favorite cookbook authors, Sarah Leah Chase.)
- 2TBS olive oil
- 2 ounces pancetta, finely diced
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 large carrots, finely diced
- 2 celery stocks, finely diced
- 1 cup sliced button mushrooms
- 9 cups home-made chicken stock
- 2 tsp dried Italian herb blend
- 9 ounces best-quality spinach or cheese tortellini
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed San Marzano tomatoes packed in purée
- 8 ounces fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add pancetta, garlic, onion, mushrooms, carrot & celery; cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add chicken stock & Italian herbs. Bring to a boil and stir in tortellini. Simmer uncovered until the tortellini is cooked, about 10 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes & simmer another 5 minutes. Add the spinach & cook until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
- Ladle the steaming cup of comfort soup into bowls and top with A LOT of grated Parmesan!
- Voilà, you will be the evening’s hero!
you can whip up this romantic, rib-sticking soup in a jiffy! it tastes like a cup of comfort on a cold winter’s evening…warming you heart, mind & body!
