Italian Penicillin Soup

Hello, dear reader, and welcome to Foodie Friday. If you are a frequent reader, you know I love soup. This time of year especially lends itself to cozy soup recipes with warm, crusty bread and a nice cup of herbal tea. I make a lot of soup, usually a pot a week. It constantly changes, but when we are under the weather or down for the count, I make traditional Chicken Noodle Soup and Italian Penicillin Soup. These are my go-to recipes for illness and the common cold. 

There is just something nurturing and comforting about a warm bowl of soup when your head is pounding, your nose is stuffy, and your throat is scratchy. I always go a little heavier on the garlic when one of us is unwell. Garlic is excellent for boosting the immune system. It also helps clear one's sinuses. I add a bit more onion because onions are good for colds, too. 

Again, if you are a frequent reader, you know I am not a bread baker. Yeast and I do not get along well. I LOVE fresh, warm bread with my soup, but I don't always have any or feel like going to the bakery to buy some. My dear friend, Debbie, snapped a picture of two-ingredient bread, and she said it is fantastic. So, along with my soup, I tried a two-ingredient bread recipe. For an easy, comforting, quick bread, it is delicious and so very easy. Even this lifelong yeast killer can make it. Thank you, Deb, for the inspiration. 

On this bitterly cold weekend, I gently encourage you to make a big pot of soup with extra garlic and onions, because if you aren't sick, it will boost your immune system and help prevent you from getting sick, and try this two-ingredient bread. You won't be disappointed. First, the recipe for Italian Penicillin Soup, and following is the recipe for the two-ingredient bread. Enjoy and stay healthy. 

Italian Penicillin Soup

1 tablespoon butter

1 large onion, diced small

4 stalks of celery, diced small

1 large yellow bell pepper, diced small

4 medium cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon crushed rosemary

1 tablespoon crushed thyme

2 teaspoons black pepper

8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, maybe more

1 pound shredded carrots

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste

⅓ cup uncooked pastina, tiny pasta, double if you like a lot of pasta

2½ -3 cups cooked and shredded chicken

Grated Parmesan, for serving

 Instructions

1. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter, onion, celery, and bell pepper, stirring to combine. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, stir well, and cook for another 2 minutes.
2. Add the broth, carrots, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes (uncovered) until the veggies are tender.
3. With a slotted spoon, remove 2 cups of the diced veggies and set aside.
4. With an immersion blender (or a regular blender), puree the broth and veggies in the pot until smooth.
5. Add the pasta, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the pasta box. 
6. Add the chicken and the reserved veggies. Stir to combine. Cover and allow the soup to rest for 20 minutes.
   
7. Serve hot with grated Parmesan cheese and bread.

Two-Ingredient Bread

2 cups Self-Rising Flour

1 ¾ cups + 2 tablespoons Greek Yogurt

• 1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• 2. In a large bowl, add the flour and yogurt. Stir with a spatula just until the flour and yogurt are incorporated, and a dough forms. The dough should be slightly sticky. I had to use my hands to bring the dough together fully. If the dough is too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it is smooth and workable.
• 3. Form a round, thick disc and then divide the dough evenly into 9 pieces. Take one of the dough pieces and roll it between your hands into a ball, then place it on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and spacing dough about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.