Italian
Wedding soup, also known as Minestra Maritata, means “married soup”
and the name can be a bit confusing. I thought it was a special soup
served at Italian weddings but in fact, the name refers to the
perfect marriage of the soup ingredients most especially the
combination of meat and greens in a flavorful broth.
Minestra
Maritata is said to come from an ancient Roman custom and is a
traditional Neapolitan soup. It is a complete meal served with or
without pasta and can be accompanied by bread, salad and desert. The
meatballs can be made of beef, turkey and/or pork, the leafy greens
are either escarole or curley endive - both hardy lettuces which are
best served cooked and are perfect for soups. The pasta can be
Pastina, Orzo, or Risi - any tiny pasta will do.
MINESTRA
MARITATA (ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP)
Soup:
3
qts. Chicken Broth
One
head of escarole or curly endive lettuce
2
eggs, beaten well
2
Tb parmigiano reggiano cheese
Salt
and Pepper
Meatballs
(see recipe below)
1/2
package Pastina, *cooked (Pastina: tiny star shaped pastas)
Meatballs:
One
pound ground beef (or ground turkey)
one
small grated onion
1/2
cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped well
one
egg, beaten
4
cloves garlic, minced
salt
and pepper to taste
one
slice of fresh bread cut or torn into tiny pieces
1/2
cup parmigiano reggiano cheese
Combine
all meatball ingredients together in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Make
one inch sized meatballs. Place on baking sheet. Let chill for 30
minutes.
For
the soup:
Bring
broth to boil in large pot over medium heat. Place meatballs and
escarole/endive into pot and simmer about 8-10 minutes until the
meatballs are cooked and the lettuce is tender. Turn off the heat.
Whisk
the eggs and cheese in a bowl to carefully blend. Stir the soup in a
circular motion and while the soup is swirling, drizzle the egg
mixture into the broth and gently stir with a fork so that the egg
mixture becomes thin strands - about 1-2 minutes. Add about one
cup cooked pasta as desired. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve
soup in shallow bowls and sprinkle with parmigiano reggiano cheese.
Serve with crusty garlic bread and a tossed green salad.
*Note:
Cook the Pastina earlier in the day or the night before so that you
can chill it and it can firm up.
