When I was little and all the way until I was in my early 20s, fall and winter Sunday meals regularly started with a hot bowl of tortellini in brodo. Right before going to church, my grandma would place a big pot of water on her wood stove; she’d dump an onion, a few ribs of celery, and a couple of carrots in it; then she’d add a big piece of beef and a few pieces of stewing hen that would simmer for a good couple of hours. The smell of the broth was so inviting, whoever was around would sneak in and scoop some out into a little cup and dip a little piece of bread in it. If the broth was made from scratch, the tortellini weren’t, as my grandma would always buy them from the grocery store. These days we don’t make this dish as often as we used to, but when we do, we savor every bit of it. If you ask me, NOTHING is as comforting as a nice cup of tortellini in brodo; not only does it warm up my belly, it also brings back sweet memories of our long Sunday lunches, spent around the crowded oval table in my grandparents’ kitchen….

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