Escarole Soup With Pasta And Meatballs

Recipe Ingredients

3/4 lb	340g / 11oz	Lean ground beef
1 1/3 cups	194g / 6.8oz	Grated Parmesan cheese - divided
1/2 cup	73g / 2.6oz	Fresh breadcrumbs
		= (made from crustless French bread)
1		Egg (large)
2		Garlic cloves - minced
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml	Salt
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml	Freshly-ground black pepper
7 1/2 cups	1777ml	Low-salt chicken broth - divided
2 tablespoons	30ml	Olive oil
2 tablespoons	30ml	Celery stalks with tops - chopped (large)
1 tablespoon	15ml	Onion - chopped (medium)
1/2 cup	118ml	Farfallini or orzo
1 cup	237ml	Escarole head - coarsely torn (small)

Recipe Instructions

Blend beef, 1/3 cup cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. Using moistened hands, shape meat mixture into 3/4-inch meatballs.

Heat 1 1/2 cups broth and oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and simmer until firm enough to hold shape, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to bowl.

Boil broth until reduced to glaze, about 6 minutes. Add celery and onion to pot. Stir until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.

Add remaining 6 cups broth, pasta, and meatballs with any juices. Reduce heat. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Add escarole and simmer until wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Serve with remaining 1 cup cheese.

This recipe yields 4 main-course or 6 first-course servings.

Test-Kitchen Tip: For fresh breadcrumbs, grind chunks of crustless French bread in the processor to coarse crumbs.

Source:
Bon Appetit, November 2004

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