Home-Style Italian Chicken Soup with Tiny Meatballs

Yum.  I love soup.  Really love soup.  Soup season is almost over so try this one out tonight, it goes great with a hearty bread to dip:


Home-Style Italian Chicken Soup with Tiny Meatballs
1 3-pound chicken
2 onions, quartered
4 carrots, 2 quartered, 2 cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 ribs celery, quartered
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 quarts Chicken Stock
1 1/2 quarts water
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 pound ground beef or turkey (I prefer turkey)
6 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/4 pound green beans, cut into 1/2 inch lengths
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise, seeded and cut into 1/4 dice
2/3 cup tiny pasta, such as stars or orzo
1 cup canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

1.  Remove excess fat from the chicken.  Put the chicken in a large pot.  Add the quartered onions, carrots and celery, the garlic, stock, water and 2 teaspoons of the salt.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, skimming occasionally, for 2 hours.  Remove the chicken when it's cooked through, after about 1 hour.

2.  When the chicken is cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the skin and bones and cut it into 1/2-inch pieces.  Return the chicken bones and skin to the simmering stock for added flavor.

3.  Strain the stock.  Press the vegetables firmly to get all the liquid.  Skim the fat from the stock.  You should have two quarts of stock.

4.  Meanwhile, make the meatballs: In a medium bowl, mix together the ground meat, 4 tablespoons of the parsley, the Parmesan, bread crumbs, egg and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Shape the mixture into small meatballs, about 3/4 inch in diameter.  You should have about 50 meatballs.

5.  Put the stock in a pot.  Add the diced carrots and the green beans and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the zucchini and simmer 5 minutes longer.

6.  In a small saucepan of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until just done, about 7 minutes.  Drain and add to the soup with the reserved chicken, the meatballs, tomatoes and pepper.  Bring back to a boil and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 4 minutes.

7.  Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley.  Serve with additional Parmesan.