Here's a quick and simple recipe for a great tasting soup!
Italian Meatball Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken stock or broth
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups dried pasta, broken spaghetti, etc
1 pound triple washed fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Meatballs:
1 pound ground beef and pork (combined or you can use all beef)
1 egg, beaten
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano (use the real stuff)
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
Boil the water for the pasta. Cook the pasta only half way. Drain rinse and set aside. (I do it this way instead of putting the dried pasta directly into the soup because I like to get the extra starch out of the pasta and I like my broth "cleaner")
Combine meat, egg, garlic, grated cheese, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg. Roll mixture into balls and fry in a non-stick pan until nicely browned. Set aside.
In a deep pot over medium heat add oil, chopped carrots, celery and onions and bay leaves.
Cover pot and cook veggies 5 or 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Uncover your soup pot and add broth and water to the pot. Increase heat to high and bring soup to a boil. Add cooked pasta and meatballs to the soup and stir. Cover and simmer soup 5-7 minutes to infuse the flavors
Next, stir in the chopped spinach in batches. When spinach has wilted into the soup, the soup is done and ready to serve. Adjust your seasonings as needed with salt & pepper.
And now for the finished product:
