Tuscan Meatball Soup

A very hearty and comforting soup. You may substitute good store-bought sweet Italian sausage for the ground pork and seasonings. I like making my own as I can better control the flavor (I like lots of garlic and fennel).

Soup base:

2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter

1 cup chopped carrots

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1-2 bay leaves

Meatballs:

1 lb. pork sausage

1 egg

½ cup parmesan cheese

2 slices white bread torn into small pieces

¼ c. milk

About 1 teaspoon total of dried herbs (rosemary, thyme, marjoram, oregano, etc)

1-2 teaspoons sweet paprika

½-1 teaspoon fennel seeds (toasting in a dry pan in recommended but optional)

Red Pepper flakes

2 T. chopped Italian parsley

1-2 cloves garlic minced

Dash of Worcestershire

Remaining ingredients:

8-10 cups chicken stock

½ cup white wine

15 oz. can of cannelini beans (drained)

¾ lb. small sized pasta (preferably one that cooks in about 8 minutes)

Bunch of kale (or your favorite green)

Heat the olive oil and butter in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bay leaves. Sauté carrots, onion, and celery until onions are soft and translucent. Make the meatballs while the veggies sauté.

In a bowl, pour milk over the torn pieces of bread and set aside. Beat the egg and add the parsley, pepper flakes, salt and pepper, garlic, parmesan, paprika, fennel, and Worcestershire to it. Squeeze excess milk out of bread. Combine sausage, bread, and egg mixture. Mix thoroughly, but gently so as not to over mix and toughen the meat. Use a melon-baller to portion out the mixture and wet your hands to more easily roll into little balls. These should be small, bite sized meatballs.

Add white wine to the pot and reduce by half. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cut kale off of the ribs and into bite sized strips. Once the chicken stock is simmering, add the meatballs and the pasta. (They should both cook in about 8 minutes.) Add the kale after a few minutes so that the kale, pasta, and meatballs are done cooking at the same time. Add cannelini beans.

Ladle into warm bowls, finish with extra virgin olive oil and parmesan. Serve with plenty of crusty bread.

Kristan Davies