Italian Wedding Soup made with chicken sausage meatballs and escarole.
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time2 hourshrs30 minutesmins
Total Time3 hourshrs
Servings: 12servings
Calories: 671kcal
Author: Lucy Brewer
Ingredients
Meatballs
2lbs.ground chicken
1lb.sweet Italian or ground chicken sausage
1 ⅓cupfresh bread crumbs
4clovesminced garlic
¼cupfresh parsley, minced
½cupgrated Pecorino Romano cheese
½cupgrated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
6tablespoonswhole milk
2large eggs
Salt and pepper to taste.
Pestata
1 ½onion, cut into chunks
2stalks celery, cut into chunks
1carrot, chopped in large chunks
5garlic cloves, peeled
1cupfresh basil, loosely packed
½cupolive oil
Soup
8quartschicken stock
1cupdry white wine
1large fennel bulb, sliced into pieces 1/4-inch thick
1lb.zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
12ouncesbaby spinach leaves, washed and trimmed
1head escarole, cut into 1/2 inch shreds
1cupprovolone cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Instructions
Meatballs
Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper for the meatballs.
Place ground chicken, sweet Italian sausage, fresh bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano and 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, milk, eggs and salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Mix gently with a fork or your fingers. Using a teaspoon, scoop out portions about 1 inch size onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake the meatballs for about 30 minutes, until nicely browned.
While the meatballs are baking, start the soup.
Pestata
Place basil, onion, celery, carrot, and garlic in a food processor and mince into a smooth paste.
Soup
Heat 1/2 cup of olive oil in a large stock pot over high heat and add the pestata. Cook for about five minutes, stirring the whole time, until the pestata is starting to lose moisture and beginning to stick a little.
Pour in chicken stock and white wine and bring to a boil, scraping up the pestata and mixing well. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes then stir in fennel, zucchini and escarole.
Return to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes, covered. Remove cover and simmer another 45 minutes, then drop in the meatballs and spinach. Simmer 5 more minutes, then drop in cubes of provolone cheese.
Serve with a mixture of freshly grated Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and hearty, whole grain bread.