Chicken soup with ricotta dumplings (vori vori de pollo)

A popular dish in Paraguayan gastronomy, vori vori are small, cornmeal flour and ricotta dumplings cooked in a rich chicken broth.

• serves

  6

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  1:30 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg corn-fed chicken
• 1 red capsicum, seeds removed, chopped
• 1 tomato, peeled, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ¼ cup parsley leaves
• 1 tbsp oregano leaves, plus extra to serve
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Dumplings (vori vori)

• 160 g (1 cup) cornmeal flour (see note)
• 90 g (½ cup) fine semolina
• 100 g fresh ricotta
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tsp finely chopped oregano
• 50 g mozzarella, finely grated

The following recipe has been tested and edited by SBS Food and may differ slightly from the podcast.

Instructions

Place the chicken and 3 litres of water in a stockpot and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 50–60 minutes, skimming the surface regularly, until the chicken is cooked through and the stock is well flavoured. Remove the chicken from the stock. When cool enough to handle, roughly shred.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, place the remaining ingredients, except for the olive oil, and process until chopped. Set aside.

To make the dumplings, combine the cornmeal flour and semolina in a bowl. Combine the ricotta, egg, mozzarella and oregano and mix into the flour. Season to taste. Skim the fat from the surface of the stock, along with 185 ml (¾ cup) of the liquid and add to the flour mixture to moisten. Using your hands, mix until well combined, adding more stock if necessary, until the dough just comes together. Roll into marble-sized balls and set aside.

Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and the reserved chopped vegetables and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until aromatic. Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the vori vori balls and cook for 5 minutes. Return the chicken to the stock to warm through.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls and scatter with extra oregano.

Note

• Cornmeal flour, also called harina pan, can be found in Latin delicatessens.

Photography by Alan Benson

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.