Sicilian Chicken Soup

Ingredients

• 10 cup water
• 4 celery stalks, each cut into 3 pieces
• 4 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
• 2 medium carrots, each cut into 3 pieces
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 2 cloves
• 1 medium leek, trimmed and cut into 3 pieces
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (3-pound) chicken
• 3 tablespoons uncooked pastina (tiny star-shaped pasta)
• 2 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) grated fresh Romano cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white

Preparation

1. Combine first 9 ingredients in an 8-quart Dutch oven or stockpot; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours. Remove from heat.
2. Remove chicken and carrot from broth. Place chicken in a bowl; cover and chill. Dice carrot; cover and chill. Strain broth through a sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Cover and chill broth at least 24 hours. Skim solidified fat from surface, and discard. Set aside 8 cups broth, reserving remaining broth for another use. Remove chicken from bones; cut into bite-size pieces. Discard bones.
3. Combine chicken, carrot, and 8 cups broth in Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Add pastina, Romano cheese, salt, and pepper; cook 5 minutes.
4. Combine egg and egg white; stir well, and slowly drizzle into boiling broth mixture, stirring constantly. Immediately remove from heat.