Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

How to make it

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• Follow the steps below in sequence, as the timing of putting ingredients in the soup is important.
• In an 5-6 quart saucepan, boil half a chicken. (Remove the skin before cooking.)
• Cook for 1 ½-2 hours on low boil.
• Add 1 or 2 bay leaves, salt and pepper. As it is cooking, remove the foam from the liquid.
• Add 1 bouillon cube.
• When soup is done, remove chicken from liquid. Take meat off the bones and put into separate bowl; cover and refrigerate.
• For best results, refrigerate broth overnight and skim fat off the top before reheating. Before reheating, strain broth through a fine strainer.
• Clean and break into 2-inch pieces, 1 to 1 ½ pounds of escarole. Steam escarole to 90% doneness. If you cannot find escarole, use romaine lettuce.
• Scrape 1-2 carrots and dice into medium pieces.
• Dice 2 stalks of celery into medium sized pieces.
• 1 medium onion, chopped finely.
• These 3 ingredients and the escarole will be added to the broth after the chicken has thoroughly been cooked and broth strained.
• Prepare meatball mixture:
• ½ pound 90% lean ground beef
• 1/3 cup grated cheese
• 1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• Handful of chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Roll meatballs in ¾-inch diameter balls refrigerate until ready to cook soup.
• When ready to cook soup, in a separate 2-quart saucepan, cook about 1/3-1/2 pound of Acini di Pepe or orzo pasta. Cook to al dente.
• Add meatballs to broth. Cook at a simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken pieces, carrots, celery and onion. Simmer until vegetables are 90% done. Add escarole and let simmer until almost done. Add pasta and soup is ready to serve.
• Add grated cheese on top for additional flavor.