Italian Wedding Soup

[Alix]

1 Pot of chicken stock (say...6-8 liters)
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup parmesan (green can is good)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 or 2 handfuls of fresh spinach
small sized pasta...acini di pepe is best

Set your stock simmering. Mix the ground beef, parmesan and bread crumbs and make tiny meat balls. I mean tiny! No bigger than dime sized. Drop them into the soup as you make them and let them cook. When they are all in there wash your spinach thoroughly and chiffonade it. Toss it in.

I cook my acini di pepe separately in some stock and let it soak it up. I serve about 1/3 cup pasta in a bowl of soup. Pasta in first, then pour the soup over top. That way the pasta doesn't get too mooshy.

 

[bigdaddy3k]

Don't your meatballs fall apart in the hot soup? I know the cheese and bread is a binder but is it enough?

 

[ErikC]

the easiest way to make meatballs that I have ever found, is to take some uncooked Italian sausage, pull the meat out of the casings, and make the meatballs from that. Super easy, super tasty!
But yours sound good too!

 

[kitchenelf]

They won't fall apart. The only difference in the one I do is I add pork and veal to my meatballs...and not being at home with my recipe in front of me, I REALLY want to say I add an egg.

 

[Alix]

I've done it with egg and without and they don't fall apart either way. Just my own experiences though.

 

[LPBeier]

Being tiny, they definitely won't fall apart. They cook very quickly in the hot broth so they stay together.