- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 4 ribs celery from the heart, chopped
- 2 onions, chopped
- 4 carrots, shredded
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Dash freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 (1 pound) package gnocchi
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Crusty bread, for dunking
- In a soup pot, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the celery, onions, carrots and bay leaf, season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the broth, cover the pot and bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Stir in the egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic and nutmeg. Roll the mixture into walnut-sized meatballs (you'll have about 40) and add to the stoup. Simmer for about 10 minutes while you wash up. Add the gnocchi to the stoup and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the peas and parsley and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the stoup from the heat, discard the bay leaf and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve with the bread.