FARMHOUSE SUNDAY SOUP

Farmhouse Sunday Soup image

Categories Soup/Stew Cheese Pasta Quick & Easy Dinner Lunch Basil Nutmeg Gourmet Sugar Conscious Kidney Friendly Vegetarian Pescatarian Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Kosher

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

For pasta dough
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (preferably organic) plus additional for kneading
1 large egg
1/4 cup lukewarm water
For pasta filling
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 lb coarsely shredded cheese (2 cups) such as Pecorino Toscano, Cacio di Roma, Sini Fulvi, or aged Asiago
4 pinches freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives or basil
For soup
2 qt Mother's Broth
Special Equipment
a pastry or bench scraper; a fluted pastry wheel

Steps:

Make pasta dough:
Mound flour on a work surface (preferably wooden) and make a large well in center with your fingertips. Stir together egg and warm water in a small bowl, then add to well and gently beat with a fork, gradually incorporating shallow scrapings from inside flour wall while supporting outside of wall with your other hand. Continue to gradually beat in flour in same manner, switching to pastry scraper to incorporate last bits of flour into dough. (Dough will look rough and messy.)
Knead dough, adding a little flour if dough becomes too sticky, until satiny and elastic, about 10 minutes. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes but no more than 4 hours.
Fill pasta:
Divide dough into 4 balls. Roll out 1 ball of dough (keep remaining balls covered) on lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin until it is sheer enough to read newspaper print through. (Round should be about 10 inches wide.) Lightly brush round with beaten egg, then sprinkle half of round evenly with 1/4 cup cheese. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chives. Fold other half of round over filling, stretching slightly as needed to cover completely, then roll whole semicircle with pin, pressing to seal.
Cut filled dough into small irregular pieces (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch) with pastry wheel. Pinch edges of pieces to reseal, arrange in 1 layer on a large rack, and cover with a kitchen towel.
Working with 1 ball of dough at a time, repeat procedure with remaining dough. Reserve remaining cup cheese for serving.
Assemble soup:
Bring broth to a simmer in a 4- to 5-quart pot and season with salt and pepper. Add filled pasta and simmer, partially covered, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve soup with cheese.