Tortellini al brodo

February in the French Alps means snow. Lots of snow. A week of continuous snowfall. Snow means chilly weather. The best remedy for chills is my Northern Italian grandmother's: soup! Many people find soup boring, but in our household we love soup, or zuppa or minestrone or minestra... but then Italian soups are full of yummy things, like pasta!
Tortellini are always a treat, so put them in soup and it's a sure to be a success. It's also a very simple & quick recipe.
Usually I make my own broth from a chicken carcass (or beef, lamb, fish), celery, carrots, onion, garlic & laurel (add whatever other vegetables are in the fridge) and I do occasionally add homemade tortellini (on the rare occasions that there are leftovers). Broth keeps 5 days in the fridge & freezes well, so I automatically make some when I have the ingredients. However, commercially available broths can be substituted when in a rush, as well as the tortellini.
Just bring the broth to a boil, add the tortellini, simmer until cooked (al dente). Serve with grated parmesan.

TIPS: Use dried tortellini (as they tend to absorb liquid so will over cook), preferably with a meat filling.

Split pea soup

In winter it's cold & snowy here in the Alps, so hot & hearty soup is a staple for dinner. Split pea soup is one of the kid's favorites. Traditionally, it's made with ham hock, which is not easy to find in France where cuts of meat are different. I've experimented with different cuts of pork & beef on the bone & have always had excellent results. These cuts are often the cheapest, so it's a good nutritious but cheap meal! Also freezes well (remove the bone first) so I just cook up a batch.

Vegetarians may substitute the meat with potatoe.

TIP: I've substituted lentils (all kinds!) for the split peas.
Always add salt to pulses 1/2 way through cooking time or they will become hard & bitter.

1 cup split peas
1 large carrot
1 medium onion
1 ham hock (or other meat on the bone)
4 cups homemade broth or boullion cube.
Salt & pepper

Chop up carrot & onion.
Sauté in olive oil.
Add ham hock or other meat & brown.
Add split peas, stir.
Add water & bring to boil then lower heat & simmer until thick (usually 1-2 hours).
Salt & pepper to taste.