ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP
Despite its’ name, this dish has nothing to do with weddings or Italian tradition. The literal name of the dish is “Minestra Maritata,” which refers to the marriage between greens and meat in the soup. Idiotic mis-translations renamed it Italian Wedding Soup, but it is not a dish served at Italian weddings.
Obviously, the basic elements of the traditional dish are meat and greens, defined as meatballs and a form of chard. There are a billion variations to the dish including adding tomatoes to make the broth red rather than clear as well as many recipes which add pasta for a noodle factor. As always, I prefer dishes basically the way they were meant to be made, and this version reflects that spirit; you will get a clear brothed, flavorful meatball soup with greens.
MEATBALLS
1 ¼ pound ground meat (you can use all lean beef or mix and match beef, veal, pork to suit your tastes)
2 eggs
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2/3 cup seasoned dry Italian bread crumbs
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2/3 cup grated Romano cheese
2 teaspoons dried basil
¼ teaspoon black pepper
SOUP
About 90 ounces chicken broth
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 cups chopped/shredded escarole
3 ounces baby arugula
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
5 eggs
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons Tabasco (not traditional, but adds a very nice kick to the soup)
Salt & pepper
Makes 8 servings
1. For the meatballs, combine all ingredients at once in a large bowl and mix well, using your hands.
2. Form into small, bite sized balls. Larger than marbles, smaller than golf balls.
3. In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat
4. Add onions and garlic and a sprinkling of salt and pepper and cook, stirring for about 4 minutes.
5. Add broth and bring soup to a boil over high heat
6. Add meatballs and cook for 5 minutes
7. Add escarole and arugula and Tabasco
8. In a separate bowl, combine 5 remaining fresh eggs and 1 cup of parmesan, mixing well.
9. Add cheese/egg mix to soup and stir well.
10. Cook soup for 5 more minutes and serve.
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