Crafting A Blissful Bungalow
~ Cultivating Creativity for Daily Living ~
TM
A Note Before You Start
As is my habit, I have tweaked this recipe over the years. I have put my changes in ( ). Please note the * in step number 4 of the directions.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
¾ lb ground chicken (I’ve used ground turkey as well as a combination of ground sirloin and pork)
¼ lb of chicken sausage, casings removed (I’ve used both pork and turkey sausage)
⅔ cup of fresh white bread crumbs
2 tsp of minced garlic; about 2 cloves
3 Tbsp of chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup of freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
¼ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese + more for serving
3 Tbsp of milk
1 extra large egg, lightly beaten
½ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of pepper
For the soup:
2 Tbsp of olive oil
1 cup of minced yellow onion (I use whatever I have on hand; often it’s a sweet onion)
1 cup of diced carrots
¾ cup of diced celery
10 cups of homemade chicken stock (I use store bought)
½ cup of dry white wine
1 cup of dried small pasta (I use tubetini or orzo)
12 oz of fresh baby spinach roughly chopped
¼ cup of minced fresh dill (I omit this)
Preparation
Directions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Step 2: Place all of the meatball ingredients into a bowl and combine gently with a fork until well mixed.
Step 3: Using a teaspoon, scoop the meatball mixture into your hand and roll into small meatballs. (I prefer mini meatballs, so I make mine bite size.) Place the meatballs on a parchment lined sheet pan. Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned.
Step 4: While the meatballs are cooking add the olive oil to a heavy bottomed soup pot over medium low heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery and saute until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and the wine and bring it to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender. *(I prefer to cook my pasta separately and let it cool before adding it to the stock. This prevents the pasta from soaking up all the chicken stock ensuring there is a good balance for the pasta, meatballs and vegetables.) Add the fresh chopped dill if using and then the meatballs and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped spinach and simmer for 1 more minute. Serve with grated parmesan.