Tortellini Soup (Capeleti in Brodo)

Here in Texas it has been raining for the last couple of days. The temperature has also dropped a bit. Although it hasn't yet officially begun, you can already feel Fall in the air. This tortellini soup (capeleti in brodo) is the perfect soup to warm up our bodies -- a clear broth soup made from pasta, chicken broth,and herbs.

On days like this, there is nothing better to serve than a nice, hot bowl of soup, don't you think?!

This kind of weather reminds me of that in Southern Brazil, a region whose cuisine has been considerably influenced by Italian immigrants. So I decided to recreate a delicious soup that I had the pleasure of enjoying when I traveled to the South of my country (Rio Grande do Sul State) a few years ago.

Our tortellini soup is hearty, comforting, and a complete meal in and of itself.

Enjoy!

xx

Tortellini Soup

(Capeleti in Brodo)

Serves 4

Segment: Brazilian Cuisine

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil (not extra-virgin)

½ medium white onion, small diced

1 large skinless and boneless chicken breast, cubed

Salt and ground white pepper to taste

½ cup white wine

3.2 quarts (about 3 liters) chicken broth

1 bay leaf

7 oz (200 g) tortellini (or even better,  cappelletti) , uncooked **

1 large tomato (peeled, deseeded, and small diced)

¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped

** To a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free pasta.

Directions:

Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve.

In a medium pot over medium-high heat, heat the pan, add the olive oil, and sauté the onion for about 2 minutes. Add the seasoned cubed chicken and brown for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and let evaporate. Then, add the broth and the bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Add the tortellini and let cook for about 10 minutes or until become al dente. Remove from heat, add the tomato, and let rest for about 3 minutes. Add the parsley and serve accompanied by garlic bread. Enjoy!

NOTE: Because I didn't find cappelletti at my local supermarkets, I used tortellini pasta instead which is the closest in shape to cappelletti.