Wintertime Italian Wedding Soup
"Fortifying store-bought stock with a rind of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is a great way to intensify the flavor..."
INGREDIENTS
•
1 tablespoon olive oil
•
1 large head garlic, halved and cloves left in their skins
•
1 onion, peeled and quartered
•
1 lemon, sliced into 4 slices
•
A few stems of parsley, thyme and a large bay leaf
•
A few white or black peppercorns
•
1 quart chicken stock plus 3 cups water
•
1 large chunk of rind from a wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
•
For the Meatballs and Soup:
•
1/2 to 2/3 cup breadcrumbs
•
1/3 cup half-and-half
•
1 pound ground pork
•
Salt and white pepper
•
1 egg
•
About 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
•
1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
•
1/2 cup grated Pecorino and/or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses
•
A fat drizzle of EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
•
5 to 6 cups chopped, stemmed escarole, cut into bite-sized pieces
•
1/4 pound maltagliati (torn egg pasta, Buon Italia brand preferred) or broken egg lasagna sheets or other wide egg pasta
•
Juice of 1 small lemon, to serve
ADVERTISEMENT