Italian Wedding Soup

A little lesson on Americanized Italian:

You won't find Italian wedding soup in Italy. There, a similar called "minestra maritata", or "married soup", is typically served as a first course. The name refers to the relationship between the scarola (escarole) and meat in the pot.
Italian wedding soup is an Italian American creation, crafted by Italians making their minestra maritata from what they could find here in America.
Minestra maritata is believed to have originated in souther Italy, containing different meats and vegetables based on region. The popular pork meatballs are believed to come from Naples. Some versions include poached eggs instead of meatballs.

Originally posted to LJ: 3/20/2007

What you will need:

BIG pot
Laddle

2lbs. (roughly) chicken thighs (I prefer boneless/skinless)
2 large (48oz?) cans chicken stock/broth (I use a homemade stock or College Inn)
1 or 2 Bay Leaves
1 large onion, cut into 4ths or 6ths
6-7 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch disks (about)
6-7 stalks celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 small head of escarole
1 box Anci Di Pipi pasta or 1/2 box Rosa Maria pasta OR 1/2 box stellina (stars) pasta
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, romano

Optional -
1 can canelli beans
1 or 2 packets of Goya Sazon (the orange/coral ones)

Meatballs -
1 pound 85-90% ground beef OR meatball mix (a blend of veal, beef, and pork, sometimes called "meatloaf mix")
Grated Romano & Parmesean
Bread Crumbs
1 egg

Put the broth, chicken, onion and bay leaves in the pot. Bring to a boil & reduce to a simmer for about 1 hour.

While that is cooking, prepare your carrots and celery. If you are adding meatballs, now is a good time to make them.

Meatballs:
combine meat, egg, about 1 cup bread crumbs and about 1 cup of cheeses with your hands. I add a dash of salt, some pepper and some garlic powder to mine. If the mixture is still very liquidy/damp, add more bread crumbs.
Form 1/2 of this mixture into SMALL meatballs (about the size of small bouncy balls or quarters). Set aside.

Form remaining mixture into regular sized meatballs. Fry in a pan until golden on all sides (about 5 minutes on med/high heat, turning frequently) and bake in an oven @ 350 until cooked through. Go make yourself a meatball sandwich, or save for another day.

After 1 hr., break apart chicken thighs (this should not be difficult, they should practically fall apart) and add veggies and meatballs to broth. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, sazon and beans.
Simmer until meatballs are cooked and veggies are tender. Soup can stay on stove, simmering, well after the meat is cooked. Just don't let your carrots get TOO soggy.

1/2 hour before you are ready to eat, wash, cut and add escarole.
Test the broth and season to taste.
You may want to test a meatball, too.

10 minutes before you are ready to eat, add pasta. Once pasta is cooked, serve soup.

Top with fresh romano.

Best with Italian bread for dipping.