Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup

This soup is a "sure-fire" hit!  Italian Wedding soup is a wonderful, healthy comfort food.  My soup is made with turkey meatballs, that will soon become a staple in your household.  These meatballs are so deliciously tender and flavorful.  The best of all, is that they are baked.  I've adapted the meatball recipe from The Little Owl.  A small restaurant in the heart of the West Village in NYC.  The base of the soup is a simple saute of mixed vegetables, deglazed with white wine topped off with fresh herbs.  Then simmered in a chicken stock with the lovely addition of a Parmesan/Romano rind.  Pasta can be cooked right in the soup.  You want it to sit in the broth to soak up the flavors.  The pasta should be petite in size, not to overshadow the soup. This meal can be prepared a day ahead.  The flavors only get richer as the soup sits.  To complete this meal all that is needed is some wonderful bread and a fresh balsamic or lemon dressed salad.

Soup Ingredients:

8 cups of good quality, low salt chicken stock

2-3 Tbsp of good olive oil

2 small or one large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3-4 carrots, peeled and diced

3 stalks of celery, sliced horizontally in 1/4 in slices

2 bell peppers, preferably red, yellow or orange

1/4 lb of green beans sliced in thirds

2 yellow or green squash, diced

1/2 lb baby spinach

1/2 cup of white wine

zest of one washed lemon

juice of 1/2 lemon

Fresh herbs such as 1 teasp. of rosemary, 2 tbsp of parsley, 2 tbsp of dill, 1 teasp. of thyme
  (all optional: you can choose one herb or all)

8 oz. of baby pasta


Prepare all vegetables.  Warm a large size dutch oven over medium heat.  Add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil and add vegetables, one at a time.  Saving the minced garlic for last.  If the saute seems dry add more oil, or a tablespoon of unsalted butter.  After all the ingredients are used, including the garlic deglaze pot with 1/2 cup of white wine.  Let simmer down for a few minutes till almost dry. Add any herbs now, before adding 10 cups of stock.  

After stock comes to a boil, lower heat to a simmer add lemon juice and zest, and cheese rind. Cover and let simmer while you prepare your meatballs.

Meatballs:

1 lb of ground turkey

1/3 cup of panko

1/3 cup of water

5 Tbsp. of Pecorino Romano

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1/4 cup of parsley, minced

3/4 teasp. of kosher salt

1/4 teasp. of black pepper

optional:  1/2 teasp. of Italian herb mix 
                 1/2 teasp. of fennel seed

Directions:  Pre-heat the oven to 400.  If using Convection Bake use 375.

Line a cookie sheet with foil or parchment sprayed with nonstick spray.  Place all the ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix carefully with clean hands.  When done wash hands with cold water to cool down skin.  Now, you want to form small balls approximately an inch in size.  Place about an inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet.  Bake for 24 min.  If using convection bake for 22 min. 

Let cool for five minutes, after removing from oven.  Then place in simmering stock with lid on. Simmer for 20 min. to meld flavors.  Next, add dry pasta and spinach.  Cook, till pasta is al dente.  Now, taste for seasoning.   Either cool down, and refrigerate or serve immediately in warmed soup bowls.


For Serving:  Grated Cheese (Parmesan/Romano), Italian croutons or crostini or oyster crackers, drizzle of balsamic reduction