Italian Wedding Soup
I always thought Italian wedding soup was named as such because it was served at weddings in Italy. Seems like the right answer, yes? Well, apparently I was wrong. This is Italian peasant food at its finest! It’s called wedding soup because the marriage of silky broth, tender meatballs, and spring greens is wonderful to behold. I tend to agree. I crave this soup on crisp and sunny spring days when you can feel the sap rising in your bones, but the chill is still there too. The mini-meatballs are such fun to roll, make sure to include your little helpers in the process and they will delight in eating the work of their hands!
Ingredients:
Makes 8 servings
Meatballs:
1 shallot, finely grated
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 egg
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound ground pork or turkey
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I use a blender to finely ground old sourdough bread)
1 tablespoon powdered gelatin (optional)
Soup:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, roughly diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
a big old pinch of salt
8 cups chicken broth
2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
1 cup small pasta, like shells or macaroni
Top with grated parmesan or pecorino
Directions:
We’ll make the meatballs first and then get the soup together while they cook. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, grated shallot and garlic. Add the oregano, salt and breadcrumbs and mix well. Add the ground meat and if using sprinkle the gelatin over. Use your hands to knead it all together. Roll the mixture into about 20 small balls (slightly smaller than golf balls). This is a great task for little hands to help with! Place them on the baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes.
While those are cooking, let’s make the soup. Heat a large pot over medium low heat. Add the olive oil and let it warm. Add the onion and garlic and cook them until fragrant and golden. Add the salt, broth, spinach, and pasta and simmer for about 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Add the meatballs and let it all simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve with a big showering of grated parm or pecorino and enjoy!
