In soup pot, bring chicken and 14 cups/3.5 L cold water to boil; skim off foam. Add carrots, parsnip and turnip (if using), celery, onion, leek (if using), parsley, thyme, bay leaf, salt and peppercorns; return to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

With tongs, remove carrots, parsnip and turnip from pot; set aside and let cool.

Continue simmering soup, covered, for 1 hour, adding dill (if using) for last 10 minutes. Strain soup; skim off fat and discard solids. Dice reserved vegetables and return to soup. Taste; add more salt if needed.

Spinach Kreplach Filling: Blanch and drain spinach, lightly squeezing out excess moisture; chop finely and set aside.

Heat chicken fat in skillet over medium heat. Fry onion and pinch of the salt, stirring often, until evenly golden brown, about 25 minutes; let cool. Mix in spinach, remaining salt, pepper and egg.

Kreplach Dough: On work surface or in large bowl, whisk together flour and salt.

Beat together egg, oil and 1/2 cup/125 mL water.

Make a well in centre of flour mixture; pour in egg mixture. With fork, gradually work dry and wet ingredients together, adding more water or flour as necessary to make a fairly soft, slightly ragged dough.

Knead lightly until dough comes together to form ball. Cover with plastic wrap; let rest 20 to 30 minutes.

Roll out Kreplach Dough to 1/8-inch/3 mm thickness. Cut into 2-3/4-inch/7 cm squares, rerolling scraps.

Place scant 2 tsp/10 mL of Spinach Kreplach Filling in centre of each square; fold dough over filling to form triangle, pressing dough closed around edges. Finally, press two corners together to form kreplach (if dough isn't sticking together easily, wet edges lightly with water before folding). Place on towel-lined tray.

Boil kreplach in large pot of boiling salted water until dumplings float to surface, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and add to soup.

Makes 40 kreplach and 8 to 10 servings of soup.

Blanching How-Tos

Use one of two methods.

Bring a very large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil; add cleaned spinach and cook just until water returns to boil (this should take only a minute or so). Drain; chill under cold water and drain well.

For most household stoves (except for induction cooktops), it is a waste of energy to bring a huge pot of water to a boil, so use the steam-blanching method, instead. place cleaned spinach with water clinging to it in a large pot. If the spinach isn't very wet, add enough water to come scant 1/2-inch/1 cm up side of pot. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Cook over high heat, covered and stirring once, until wilted. Drain; chill under cold water and drain well.