Ingredients for Meatballs
· 1 pound lean ground beef (some people prefer ¼ pound pork instead of all beef)· 1/3 cup plain dried bread crumbs (I like to use panko crumbs put in the blender to a fine grind)
· 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
· 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano
· 3 cloves garlic , finely minced
· 1 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
· 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
· 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
· 2 large eggs , beaten
· 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Ingredients for Soup
· 2 tablespoons light olive oil· 1 medium white onion , finely chopped
· 1 medium carrot , finely chopped
· 3 cloves garlic , minced
· 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
· 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper , to taste
· 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
· 1 1/2 cups water
· 14 oz. can of diced or crushed tomatoes
· 1 1/4 cup uncooked tubitini (you can use orzo or ditalini)
· 2 cups shredded kale (or spinach or escarole)
Method:
Meatballs: Add beef, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, egg, and nutmeg into a large bowl. I use a food chopper (this was passed down to me from my mom , it's about 70 years old, she got it when she got married) to combine the ingredients and at the end I use my hands to gently mix together - mix well.
Make small meatballs, about the size of a quarter by rolling them in your hands. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. Heat a griddle and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When it's hot add the meatballs, keeping them about 1/2" apart. Brown on each side. At this point they can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen.
Soup: Add olive oil to a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until translucent and fragrant, about 4 minutes.
Stir in broth, tomatoes, and water. Cover and cook 10 minutes over medium heat or until soup comes to a boil. Boil for another 10 minutes
Note: If you make the soup ahead of time don't add the tubitini until you reheat the soup. Bring the soup to a light boil, add the pasta and let it boil for about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Note: If you don't eat it all at the first sitting, the pasta may soak up a lot of the soup, so you might want to add more broth.
Make small meatballs, about the size of a quarter by rolling them in your hands. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. Heat a griddle and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When it's hot add the meatballs, keeping them about 1/2" apart. Brown on each side. At this point they can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen.
Soup: Add olive oil to a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until translucent and fragrant, about 4 minutes.
Stir in broth, tomatoes, and water. Cover and cook 10 minutes over medium heat or until soup comes to a boil. Boil for another 10 minutes
Add meatballs and tubitini to
the boiling soup and stir to make sure they are fully submerged. Cover and
simmer for another 15 minutes over medium heat. Stir in kale. Test a meatball
and a piece of pasta to ensure that they are fully cooked. Taste and adjust
seasoning. Serve immediately.
Note: If you make the soup ahead of time don't add the tubitini until you reheat the soup. Bring the soup to a light boil, add the pasta and let it boil for about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Note: If you don't eat it all at the first sitting, the pasta may soak up a lot of the soup, so you might want to add more broth.
