- 8
Ingredients
- Meatballs
- 1.5 lbs “Meatloaf Mix” (equal parts ground veal, pork, beef)
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 egg
- 1 cup (or more) unseasoned dried breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated romano cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- salt & pepper
- Italian Wedding Soup
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 large chopped carrot
- 3 stalks chopped celery
- 1 bunch escarole *
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 quart boxed chicken stock
- 1 quart homemade vegetable stock
- 1/2 of meatball recipe, formed into bite-sized balls
- 1 can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup any very small pasta*
- salt & pepper, seasoning to taste
- Note: Escarole is the leafy green traditionally used in this soup. Could use chard if escarole not available. Stalks removed, chard greens are chopped.
- Ditalini pasta would also be the traditional pasta used, but can use whatever you have on hand, even broken up spaghetti.
Preparation
Step 1
Meatballs
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl (with your hands!) and form bite sized balls. Ideally, you make yourself a big enough batch so you can make soup one night, and make spaghetti and meatballs later in the week.
Soup
Sautee the onion, carrot and celery in olive oil, until softened and onion is translucent. Add swiss chard and cook until wilted.
Add liquids and bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Slowly drop in your meatballs one by one, careful not to splatter the hot broth on yourself. Turn heat to medium low, so that you still have a nice simmer. Cover pot, and allow to cook at least a half hour, or longer.
15 minutes before you are ready to serve, add the beans and orzo. Adjust seasonings, and bring soup to a quick gentle boil once again, so the pasta cooks through. Return heat to low to keep warm until ready to eat