Ingredients

　　2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　Bones, wings, and scraps of 3 whole chickens, excess fat removed

　　3 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

　　2 onions, coarsely chopped

　　4 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

　　2 tablespoons tomato paste

　　1 tablespoon black peppercorns

　　Stems of 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley

　　In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil until smoking. Add the chicken bones and scraps and brown all over, stirring to avoid burning. Remove the chicken parts and reserve. Add the carrots, onions, and celery and cook until soft and browned. Return the chicken bones to the pot and add 3 quarts of water, the tomato paste, peppercorns, and parsley, stirring to dislodge the browned chicken and vegetable bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring almost to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook at a low simmer for 2 hours, until reduced by half, occasionally skimming excess fat. After cooking, remove from heat and strain out all solids, pressing them with the bottom of a ladle to extract all liquids. This can be frozen for up to 1 month.

　　Reprinted with permission from _The Babbo Cookbook _by Mario Batali. © 2002 Clarkson Potter