Warm Cozy Italian Meatball Soup Food

WARM & COZY ITALIAN MEATBALL SOUP

Steps:

• MEATBALLS: In a medium bowl, using a fork, mix together all the meatball ingredients except the ground beef. When the ingredients are combined, add the ground beef and mix. Just be sure you don't overwork the meat. Roll into 30-32 meatballs using a tablespoon to measure out the mixture. Set the rolled meatballs aside on a plate or baking sheet.
• COOK THE MEATBALLS: In a 4 ½ quart dutch oven (or larger) heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. When warm, add roughly half the meatballs (or whatever fits in a single layer with space between the meatballs.) Cook the meatballs, flipping as needed to brown all sides, about 6 minutes. Don't worry if they haven't cooked all the way through, we will finished cooking them in the soup. If you need to do this in two batches, add a splash of oil in between if it needs it. Set meatballs aside for now. If you have grease at the bottom of your pan, drain everything but 1 teaspoon's worth.
• SOUP: Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and allow it to heat through. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes or until translucent, then add the garlic and continue to cook for 30 seconds. When the garlic is fragrant, add the tomato paste, and red pepper flakes. Crush the fennel seeds between your fingers (or in a mortar and pestle) then add them in (if using) and sauté it for 30 seconds. Add the pasta sauce, broth, 1 cup of water, and the seared meatballs. Bring to a boil. Add the pasta and reduce the heat to medium so it simmers. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is tender and cooked through. If the soup seems a little thick, feel free to add up to 1 cup of water to thin it to your liking. Be sure to bring it back to a boil if you add any more water! Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Ladle the soup into soup bowls, top with chopped parsley, and serve with slices of fresh bread (garlic toast recipe in notes.)

ITALIAN MEATBALL SOUP

Steps:

• Peel carrots with vegetable peeler. Finely chop carrots, celery and onions.
• Lightly spray pot(4qt) with oil and add carrots, celery and onion. Cook over medium heat 4-5 minutes or until vegetables begin to brown, stirring occasionally.
• Push vegetables to one side of pot. Add tomato paste; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until paste begins to caramelize.
• Add pressed garlic and seasoning; mix well. Stir in tomatoes; broth and water; bring to a simmer.
• Cut meatballs in half; add to soup. Simmer an additional 10-12 minutes; season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve hot and garnish with Ciabatta Croutons.
• Ciabatta Croutons:.
• Pre heat Oven to 425 degrees. Slice loaf into 1 inch cubes. Toss cubes with olive oil and arrange in an even layer on pan. Bake 12-14minutes or until golden brown.

ITALIAN MEATBALL SOUP

Steps:

• To make the meatballs, add the ground beef, grated Parmesan, 3 tablespoons of the parsley, the lemon juice, ground oregano, garlic, egg, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper to a bowl and mix together well. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls.
• In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, turning to brown all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. No need to cook them all the way as they'll go back into the soup later. Remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Now, grab some beef stock and pour it into a pot. Add some salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato paste--it adds so much yummy richness. Make a bouquet garni by adding the peppercorns, bay leaves and remaining 1/4 cup parsley to a piece of cheesecloth and tying it into a bundle using kitchen twine; drop it right into the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
• Remove the bouquet garni, which now resembles a jellyfish with jaundice. Go ahead and discard it; it's lived a full life. Add the diced potatoes, carrots, celery and onions and the sliced cabbage. Finally, in go the browned meatballs. Let the soup simmer long enough for the vegetables to get slightly tender and the meatballs to cook all the way through, another 20 minutes or so.
• You can sprinkle the soup with some freshly grated Parmesan if you'd like one last dose of decadence. Serve with crusty bread.