ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP
Active time: 30 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes | 4 to 6 servings
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 (12-ounce) package fully cooked Italian-style chicken sausage, preferably spicy, sliced into ¼ -inch rounds
2 large carrots, scrubbed and chopped
2 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and sliced (save a few leaves for garnish, if desired) 10 cups low-sodium chicken stock ¼ cup milk or water
1 large egg
1 slice white bread, hard crusts removed
1 pound ground pork or turkey
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese or pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
¼ yellow onion, grated
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley, plus more for serving
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
¾ cup tiny pasta, such as orzo, stelline pasta, ditalini or acini di pepe 4 to 6 ounces (4 to 6) shredded or chopped escarole, kale (thick ribs removed), chard (ribs removed) or spinach, or a combination Pinch red pepper flakes, optional 1 large lemon, zested and juiced Sprigs of dill, for garnish (optional) In a large Dutch oven or heavybottomed pot over medium-high, add the olive oil and sausage and saute, stirring every so often, until browned on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes. Increase the heat to high and add the carrots, celery and stock. Cover, bring to a boil and cook until the carrots and celery are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, make the meatballs: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl, add the milk and egg and whisk lightly. Add the slice of bread and soak for 5 minutes. Add the ground pork or turkey, cheese, onion, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper to the soaked bread and mix with your hands until combined. Rinse and moisten your hands with cool water and then shape the mixture into 1- to 2-inch meatballs; you will have 30 to 35 meatballs. Place them, spaced evenly, on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes; meatballs will finish cooking in the soup.
Return the heat to high under the soup. As soon as the broth comes to a boil, stir in the pasta and simmer until al dente, 4 to 6 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, and stir in the chopped greens, red pepper flakes, if using, and half of the lemon zest; reserve the remaining zest for garnish.
Using a spatula, scrape the meatballs and any fat and crispy bits stuck to the pan into the soup. Increase the heat to high and cook until the greens soften and the meatballs are cooked through — cut into one to be sure it’s no longer pink in the center — about 3 minutes.
Add half of the lemon juice; taste the broth, and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
Serve the soup hot, garnished with celery leaves, Parmesan, parsley, dill, the remaining lemon zest and juice, if desired.
Nutrition (based on 6 servings) | calories: 491; total fat: 23 g; saturated fat: 8 g; cholesterol: 111 mg; sodium: 1134 mg; carbohydrates: 37 g; dietary fiber: 3 g; sugar: 4 g; protein: 35 g.