By Tracey
Italian Wedding Soup
adapted from Williams-Sonoma
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 4 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 tablespoon (about 3 cloves) minced garlic, divided
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves cut into thin strips
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 1/4 cups ditalini pasta (or other small shape)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine the chicken broth, water, carrots, 2 teaspoons of the garlic, and the kale in a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 30-40 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the cheese, eggs, bread crumbs, the remaining 1 teaspoon of garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir until well combined. Add the ground pork and use your hands to gently incorporate the meat – don’t overmix. Use a small cookie scoop to portion the mixture into roughly 1-inch meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through.
Once the carrots are tender, and while the meatballs are baking, add the pasta to the soup. Continue simmering until the pasta is tender (check the package for cooking time). Add the meatballs to the soup (heat briefly to rewarm if necessary). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish each bowl of soup with more grated Parmigiano-Reggiano before serving, if desired.
