Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 pounds (1 k) of potatoes
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon of flour
- Between 1/2 cup and a cup freshly grated Parmigiano
- 6 egg yolks
- Oil for Frying
- 2 quarts (2 liters) Chicken Broth
Preparation:
The Master was, we are told, especially fond of this soup, which he would serve his guests in Genova's Palazzo Doria, or in Villa Sant'Agata.Set 2 1/4 pounds (1 k) of potatoes to boil in salted water, and when they are done (a skewer will go through easily) peel them and rice them. Add 1/3 cup unsalted butter, a tablespoon of flour, freshly grated Parmigiano (to taste, between 1/2 cup and a cup), and 6 egg yolks. Mix thoroughly and make so many balls about a half-inch in diameter. Fry them in hot olive oil until golden and drain them well on absorbent paper. Transfer them to a soup tureen, fill it with good broth (ideally chicken), add a little meat sauce if you like, and it's done. To serve 6 halve the quantities.
Yield: About 12 servings of Giuseppe Verdi's potato ball soup.
A note: this is quite traditional; Artusi gave a number of similar recipes in his cookbook, which came out in 1891.
