Veal Meatball and Broccoli Rabe Stoup

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds broccoli rabe, 1 large bunch, trimmed and cut into large bite-sized pieces
• Salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, 1 minced, 3 chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 can white beans, cannellini
• Black pepper
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 2 cups beef or vegetable stock
• 1/3 pound orecchiette, little ear shaped pasta, or ditalini
• 1 pound ground veal
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano, a generous handful, plus some to pass at table
• 2 to 3 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
• Crusty bread, for mopping

Directions

Bring a couple of inches of water to a boil in a medium skillet. Add salt to boiling water and the broccoli rabe and cook 7 to 8 minutes. Drain rabe and reserve.

While rabe cooks, heat a medium soup pot over medium to medium high heat with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Add 3 cloves chopped garlic, carrots and onions. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, add white beans and heat through, a minute. Season veggies and beans with salt and pepper. Add drained rabe and the stocks and cover pot to bring to a quick boil. Add orecchiette and stir. Reduce heat and simmer soup to a low-roll, uncovered.

Mix veal with egg, remaining clove minced garlic, bread crumbs, cheese, sage and salt and pepper. Roll into 1-inch balls and drop into stoup. Cook 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve stoup in shallow bowls with crusty bread.