Italian Wedding Soup
"Tiny meatballs, leafy greens, and the most comforting broth you've ever made. The marriage is between the meat and the greens, not you and your slow cooker."
The Game Plan
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In a medium bowl, combine the ground meat, breadcrumbs, 1 egg, grated parmesan, Italian seasoning, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
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Mix gently with your hands — overworking the mixture makes tough, dense meatballs and nobody invited those to the wedding.
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Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs. You should get about 30-35 tiny beauties. Yes, it's tedious. Put on a podcast or rope in a helper.
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Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic for 5-6 minutes until the vegetables start to soften and smell like someone's Italian grandmother's kitchen.
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Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a steady simmer. Add red pepper flakes if using.
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Carefully drop the meatballs into the simmering broth one at a time. Don't stir for the first 3 minutes — let them set on the outside before gently swirling the pot.
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Cook the meatballs for 10 minutes total until cooked through and bobbing at the surface.
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Add the orzo or acini di pepe and cook for another 8-10 minutes until the pasta is tender. The pasta will keep absorbing broth, so don't worry if it looks a little soupy at this stage.
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Stir in the baby spinach handfuls at a time and let it wilt, about 1-2 minutes.
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Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle it into the soup in a thin stream while stirring in a circular motion. This creates those gorgeous wispy egg ribbons floating through the broth.
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Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice, taste, and adjust seasoning. Serve in deep bowls with extra parmesan on top.
