- Place 225 g (½ lb) of minced beef and pork (or sausage meat) in a large bowl. Add 1 egg, ½ cup (30 g) of Italian breadcrumbs and ½ cup of grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese (50 g). Season with 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh oregano (or ½ teaspoon if using dried), 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, ½ teaspoon of black pepper and salt. Mix with your hands or a spoon until all the ingredients are combined. Don’t overmix.
- Form into small balls. Use a teaspoon or a small ice cream scoop to help you grab an equal amount of the mixture each time and make the meatballs approximately the same size.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pot over a medium heat.
- Sauté two sliced garlic cloves for half a minute until fragrant.
- Dice 1 onion, 2 carrots and 2 celery stalks into small cubes, then add them to the pot. Season with ½ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper. Add a sprinkle of chilli flakes if you like a bit of heat. Sauté the vegetables for 4–5 minutes until tender and soft.
- Add a bay leaf and pour in 7 cups (1,65l) of chicken stock. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Place the meatballs in the soup. You can brown them first for extra flavor, but I prefer a lighter version. Simmer on a medium heat for 7–10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Add ½ cup (90 g) of small pasta and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Finally, gently stir in some roughly chopped greens, such as escarole, spinach, kale or Swiss chard. Let the soup simmer for one more minute until the greens have wilted.
- Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Finally, stir in 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning.
- Serve with a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan or Pecorino and enjoy!
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