Ravioli en brodo appears in Garten’s most recent cookbook, “Go-To Dinners.” She said the key to its flavor is “rich homemade chicken stock.”
I usually take the quicker option because, as the Barefoot Contessa herself says, “store-bought is fine!” But since the broth is clearly the star of this dish, I decided to try her homemade chicken stock instead.
To make Garten’s homemade chicken stock, you’ll need:
- 3 (5-pound) roasting chickens
- 3 large yellow onions, unpeeled and quartered
- 6 carrots, unpeeled and halved
- 4 celery stalks with leaves, cut into thirds
- 4 parsnips, unpeeled and halved
- 20 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 20 sprigs of fresh dill
- 15 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 head of garlic, unpeeled and cut in half
- 1 tablespoon of kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons of whole black peppercorns (not ground)
Place all the ingredients in a 16- to 20-quart stockpot, add 7 quarts of water, and bring to a boil. Then, lower the heat and simmer your stock uncovered, skimming off any foam that comes to the top, for at least four hours. (I let it simmer for about six.)
Let the stock cool, then strain through a colander and discard the solids.
