Escudella i Carn d'Olla (Catalan Christmas Stew)

Ingredients

• 1 cup (200g) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
• 1 lb (450g) beef shin, bone-in
• 1 lb (450g) pork ribs
• 1 small chicken, quartered
• 1 black butifarra or blood sausage
• 1 white butifarra or pork sausage
• 1/2 small cabbage, cut into wedges
• 2 carrots, peeled and halved
• 1 leek, halved
• 2 potatoes, peeled and halved
• 1 turnip, peeled and halved
• 10 cups (2.4L) water
• Salt to taste
• 10 oz (280g) galets or large shell pasta
• 10 oz (280g) ground pork, for the pilota
• 5 oz (140g) ground veal, for the pilota
• 1 egg, for the pilota
• 1/3 cup (30g) breadcrumbs, for the pilota
• 1 clove garlic, minced, for the pilota
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley, for the pilota
• Flour, for dusting the pilota

Before you cook

• Soak the chickpeas in plenty of water overnight, then drain.
• Mix the ground pork, ground veal, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic and parsley together in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and shape into one large oval meatball.
• Dust the shaped meatball lightly with flour.

Steps

1. Place the beef shin and pork ribs into a large pot of cold water.
2. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam.
3. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover partially.
4. Simmer for 1 hour.
5. Add the chicken and chickpeas.
6. Simmer for another hour.
7. Add the carrots, leek, turnip and cabbage.
8. Simmer for 45 minutes.
9. Add the potatoes, both sausages and the pilota.
10. Simmer for 30 more minutes, until everything is tender.
11. Ladle about 8 cups of the broth into a separate pot and bring it to a boil.
12. Cook the galets in the strained broth for 10 to 12 minutes, until tender.
13. Serve the broth and pasta first as the soup course.
14. Arrange the meats, chickpeas, vegetables and sliced pilota on a platter for the second course.