Polish chicken soup {rosół} with homemade noodles
Growing up, Sunday was always marked by a special meal in my home - chicken soup with homemade dumplings. No matter what, this was a staple on the menu every week. The first course was always chicken noodle soup, followed by a second course of chicken meat, potatoes, and salad. This predictable meal was always eagerly anticipated.
My grandparents on both sides raised chickens, and I witnessed the entire process of raising birds and preparing them for Sunday dinner. This experience taught me to value the time, effort, and dedication required to put food on the table. Today, we have become used to convenient food options, but seeing the full circle of life from egg to table gave me a deeper appreciation for food.
The aroma of chicken soup always takes me back to my childhood and my home. My father and I would compete for the gizzards and neck, while my brother claimed the legs as his favorite. Chicken soup is a simple yet essential dish, and I believe everyone should know how to make a great bowl of it.
To make Rosol, a unique chicken soup, it's important to keep in mind the following:
- Use chicken on the bone, such as a carcass, legs, thighs, drumsticks, or breast.
- Add a small amount of beef or veal bone for extra flavor, but avoid pork bone to keep the broth clear.
- Use a tablespoon of vinegar (apple cider or otherwise) to enhance the healing properties of the bones.
- Cook vegetables whole or halved, rather than chopped.
- Simmer the soup for 2 hours without boiling.
- Skim the fat off the top of the soup several times during cooking.
- Boil noodles separately and rinse with cold water to remove starch before adding to serving bowls.
- After cooking, chop some of the carrots and chicken pieces and add to serving bowls.
- Pour the broth through a meshed strainer and over the noodles, chicken, and carrots. Serve with freshly chopped parsley.
My grandparents on both sides raised chickens, and I witnessed the entire process of raising birds and preparing them for Sunday dinner. This experience taught me to value the time, effort, and dedication required to put food on the table. Today, we have become used to convenient food options, but seeing the full circle of life from egg to table gave me a deeper appreciation for food.
The aroma of chicken soup always takes me back to my childhood and my home. My father and I would compete for the gizzards and neck, while my brother claimed the legs as his favorite. Chicken soup is a simple yet essential dish, and I believe everyone should know how to make a great bowl of it.
To make Rosol, a unique chicken soup, it's important to keep in mind the following:
- Use chicken on the bone, such as a carcass, legs, thighs, drumsticks, or breast.
- Add a small amount of beef or veal bone for extra flavor, but avoid pork bone to keep the broth clear.
- Use a tablespoon of vinegar (apple cider or otherwise) to enhance the healing properties of the bones.
- Cook vegetables whole or halved, rather than chopped.
- Simmer the soup for 2 hours without boiling.
- Skim the fat off the top of the soup several times during cooking.
- Boil noodles separately and rinse with cold water to remove starch before adding to serving bowls.
- After cooking, chop some of the carrots and chicken pieces and add to serving bowls.
- Pour the broth through a meshed strainer and over the noodles, chicken, and carrots. Serve with freshly chopped parsley.
Ingredients
- 2 good quality whole chickens
- 4 carrots
- 2 parsley roots (or parsnips)
- ½ - 1 of a celery root
- A few leaves of 2 leeks (the dark green parts)
- ½ of a large onion
- 8 bay leaves
- 12 whole peppercorns and allspice berries (each)
- 2 tbsp of salt
- A few sprigs of green parsley for garnish
- 6 c / 750 g of all-purpose flour
- 6 whole eggs
- 2 tsp of salt
- 12-16 tbsp of warm water
- More flour for rolling.
Soup:
Homemade noodles:
- 1. Start by washing chicken and vegetables. Clean and peel them thoroughly.
- 2. Put all ingredients in a pot, except for the onion, and fill the pot with water to cover everything. The amount of water should be around 2 quarts or 2 liters.
- 3. Toast the onion on an open flame or dry pan until it's burnt on the surface. Then, add the onion to the pot along with bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice berries, and salt.
- 4. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 2 hours on low heat with only light bubbling.
- 5. After 2 hours, remove the chicken from the pot and take the bones off. The chicken should be tender and easily fall off the bone.
- 6. To make the noodles, mix all the dough ingredients until a dough forms. Roll the dough out thinly and cut into strips that are 6 inches or 15 centimeters wide.
- 7. Let the strips dry for 10 minutes.
- 8. Flour each strip heavily and roll into a tube shape. Then, flatten the tube and slice into your desired thickness.
- 9. You can either boil the pasta for 3-5 minutes in salted water or spread it in a single layer on a well-floured surface and let it dry completely for at least 24 hours.
- 10. Keep the pasta moving to prevent sticking.
- 11. To serve, fill a bowl with boiled pasta, add slices of carrots, meat (if desired), and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Fill the bowl with hot liquid and enjoy!
- 12. Note: Uncooked, dried pasta can be stored for several weeks in a breathable container.
Recipe Directions
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