Homemade meatball – Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
Homemade meatball
2 pounds ground beef 80/20
1 pound ground lamb
1 pound ground pork
3 large eggs
7–8 large garlic cloves (peeled and chopped) – approximately 1/4 cup
1 cup of Italian breadcrumbs
1 cup of plain Panko breadcrumbs
One medium sized Spanish onion – 1/4 diced chop (approximately 1-1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon of Tobias garlic salt
1 tablespoon of Cleveland steak seasoning
1 tablespoon of Maggi seasoning
1 tablespoon of Kitchen Bouquet seasoning
Kosher salt and Black pepper-to taste
1/3 cup chopped curly parsley
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup of sugar free ketchup
1 tablespoon of oregano
1 tablespoon of Day of the dead herbs de Provençal
1 tablespoon of dried basil
EVOO and Butter to taste (for sautéing Spanish onion)
Italian Wedding Soup Base
2 cups of diced celery
2 cups of sliced yellow onions
2 cups of sliced carrots- 1/4 inch thick
1 tablespoon of oregano
1 tablespoon of thyme
1 tablespoon of ground black pepper
2 tsp of kosher salt
2 tablespoons of chopped garlic
(Previously Prepared and baked meatballs)
Instructions
Homemade meatball recipe :
Sauté Spanish onion in EVOO and/or butter – your choice. Remove and ….
Combine with all the other ingredients until fully incorporated.
Roll and form meatballs – (1in in diameter for the soup or a large as you want for anything else)
Place meatballs on a cooking sheet spaced 1/2in apart
Baked at 425 degrees for 20min
Probe with thermometer if needed – internal temperature should be at 165 degrees- no pink showing
Transfer to holding bowl (and eat a few) and begin to prep soup base
SAVE DRIPPINGS FROM MEATBALLS in a separate container.
ADD 1/4 cup of THAT DRIPPING MIXTURE TO THE FOLLOWING Soup Base Recipe ALONG WITH
1/2 stick of salted butter
1/4 cup of EVOO
Melt butter and EVOO/drippings on low- medium heat then
Add all of the ingredients and …
Sauté on med-high heat until translucent and semi tender – stirring frequently.
Italian Wedding Soup Base:
Once this mixture is translucent and tender:
ADD
- Previously prepared meatballs
- (Stir with sautéed vegetables then ADD
- 12 to 16 cups of water
- Stir to incorporate
- Then begin to add flavored soup bases to taste…50% chicken and 50% beef. (Or you can use previously prepared and store bought stock bases…the bases I am recommending are concentrated and need to be incorporated with water – skip the water being added if you are using prepared stock bases)
- If you choose to use concentrated bases – use the procedure below:
- (Start with a tablespoon of each base and continue to add the bases to the water and soup, stirring vigorously, until well combined and your desired flavor profile is reached
- Beef and Chicken base ( I use and recommend MINORS or KNORR – but use what you’re familiar or comfortable with)
- Picture of bases attached
- Once the soup is complete and your flavor profile has been reached – turn stove top temperature OFF
- Add 1# of Acini de Pepe pasta or Ditalini and stir vigorously until well incorporated…30+ seconds
- Cover soup pot and allow the pasta to cook (15-20+ minutes)
- While the pasta is cooking the oils and fats will rise to the top.
- Slowly scoop the majority of oils and fats from the top of the soup and discard.
- Once fat/oils are removed the soup is ready to eat. Stir again to incorporate.
- Before plating – add fresh spinach to a bowl and then pour the soup over the spinach. Mix well and then top the soup mixture with freshly grated Parmesan/ Romano or Reggiano and serve with a toasted baguette.
- Enjoy. :)