Italian Wedding Soup

Ingredients

Meatballs:

• 2 slices stale white sandwich bread, crusts removed
• 3/4 pounds ground turkey
• 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano, plus extra for serving
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Soup:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 rib celery, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 head escarole (about 1 pound), coarsely chopped
• 8 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
• 1/2 cup chopped canned plum tomatoes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Grate the stale bread on a box grater, or pulse into crumbs in a food processor.

Put the bread crumbs in large bowl with 1/3 cup cold water to re-hydrate. Add the ground turkey, 1/4 cup Pecorino, parsley, egg, garlic, and salt, and mix until evenly combined. Season with pepper. Using your hands, gently form the meat mixture into 3/4 to 1-inch meatballs. (Packing the meat mixture too tightly together will result in tough meatballs). Put on a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24.

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the meat balls and brown, turning occasionally. Transfer to a platter. Add the onion, celery, carrot to the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and red pepper and cook another 3 minutes.

Stir in the escarole and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to a gentle simmer. Return the meatballs to the pot, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle the soup into warm bowls. Drizzle some olive oil and Pecorino over each serving.

Copyright 2005 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.