Italian Wedding Soup
TOTAL 40 MIN; SERVES 6
For her version of minestra
maritata (Italian wedding
soup), former F&W test
kitchen editor Grace Parisi
makes tiny pork meatballs
and simmers them with orzo,
chickpeas, spinach, and
Parmesan. In Italian, minestra
maritata means married
soup, which is a reference to
the flavor produced by the
combination, or marriage,
of greens and the meat.
2 qts. homemade chicken
stock or low-sodium
broth
1 large carrot, fi nely diced
1 celery rib, fi nely diced
Kosher salt and freshly
ground pepper
(^1) / 4 cup orzo
1 lb. ground pork
(^1) / 4 cup freshly grated
Parmigiano-Reggiano
cheese, plus more for
serving
(^1) / 4 cup dry breadcrumbs
5 oz. baby spinach,
chopped
1 15-oz. can chickpeas,
drained and rinsed
- In a large pot, bring chicken
stock to a boil with carrot
and celery. Season with salt
and pepper. Add orzo and
cook until al dente, about
7 minutes. - Meanwhile, in a bowl,
knead pork with^1 / 4 cup
cheese, breadcrumbs, and
(^1) / 2 teaspoon each of salt and
pepper. Form mixture into
1-inch balls.
- Drop balls into boiling soup
and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in spinach and chickpeas
and simmer until meatballs
are cooked through, 5 min-
utes longer. Serve, passing
extra cheese at the table.
—GRACE PARISI
WINE Fruity, floral Northern
Italian red.
Chicken-Orzo Soup
with 10 Vegetables
TOTAL 45 MIN; SERVES 4Any combination of
vegetables will work in this
nutritious soup. If you don’t
want to use 10 vegetables,
you can omit some and
double up on others.2 Tbsp. extra-virgin
olive oil
1 medium carrot, halved
lengthwise and thinly
sliced crosswise
1 small turnip, fi nely
diced(^1) / 2 small sweet onion,
fi nely chopped
(^1) / (^2) small fennel bulb, cored
and fi nely diced
1 celery rib, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and pepper
(^1) / 4 lb. green or yellow
beans, cut into^1 /^4 -in.
pieces
6 cups chicken stock
(^1) / (^4) cup cherry tomatoes,
quartered
(^1) / 2 cup frozen peas
(^3) / (^4) cup orzo, boiled and
drained
2 oz. arugula (about 2
cups packed), thinly
sliced
(^1) / 2 cup basil leaves, thinly
sliced
In a heavy medium saucepan,
heat olive oil over moderate
heat. Add carrot and turnip,
then add onion, fennel, celery,
garlic, and a generous pinch
of salt and cook, stirring
occasionally, until vegetables
begin to soften, about 6 min-
utes. Stir in green beans and
cook for 1 minute. Add
chicken stock and bring to a
simmer, then add cherry
tomatoes and peas. Simmer
soup over moderately low
heat, partially covered, until
vegetables are tender, about
15 minutes. Season with salt
and pepper. Divide orzo, aru-
gula, and basil among 4 bowls
and ladle hot soup on top.
—HUGH ACHESON
Zuppa Verde
PHOTO P. 14
TOTAL 1 HR; SERVES 6
As in most Italian food,
simplicity trumps all, and this
soup of hearty greens is no
exception. A mixture of greens
is great in the recipe, but if you
use only escarole, it will be fine.
Food writer Andrew Zimmern
claims that this soup is
farmhouse cooking at its best.
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin
olive oil
1 small shallot, minced
(^1) / 4 cup minced parsley
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
A few pinches of
crushed red pepper
1 head of escarole (1 lb.),
trimmed and chopped
1 bunch kale (1 lb.), stems
and ribs discarded,
leaves thinly sliced
1 bunch Swiss chard (
lb.), stems and ribs
discarded, leaves thinly
sliced
8 cups chicken stock or
low-sodium broth
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter,
at room temperature
6 1-in.-thick, diagonal
slices of baguette
2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
Sea salt
Freshly ground white
pepper
(^1) / 2 cup freshly grated
Parmigiano-Reggiano
cheese
- In a large pot, heat oil. Add
shallot, parsley, garlic, and
crushed red pepper. Cook
over moderate heat, stirring,
until fragrant, about 2 min-
utes. Add escarole, kale, and
chard and cook, stirring, until
greens start to wilt, about 2
minutes. Add stock and bring
to a boil. Simmer until greens
are tender, about 20 minutes. - Spread butter on both
sides of bread slices. Heat a
large nonstick skillet. Add
baguette slices and toast over
moderate heat until golden,
2 to 3 minutes per side. - Stir vinegar into soup and
season with sea salt and white
pepper. Ladle soup into
bowls, top with toasts, and
garnish with grated cheese.
—ANDREW ZIMMERN
Stracciatella
TOTAL 30 MIN; SERVES 4Stracciatella is the Italian
version of egg drop soup. This
tasty one from Georgia chef
Hugh Acheson includes
shredded chicken, spinach,
basil, peas, grated Parmigiano-
Reggiano, and eggs.6 cups chicken stock
2 large eggs(^1) / 4 cup fi nely grated
Parmigiano-Reggiano
cheese
2 cups shredded
rotisserie chicken
1 cup frozen peas
2 cups leaf spinach
(about 2 oz., thinly
sliced
1 cup basil leaves, thinly
sliced
Kosher salt
Pepper
- In a medium pot, bring
chicken stock to a simmer
over moderate heat. - In a small bowl, whisk
together eggs and cheese.
Slowly add egg mixture to hot
stock, stirring constantly,
until eggs are just set, about
1 minute. Stir in chicken and
peas and simmer until heated
through, about 2 minutes.
Add spinach and basil and
cook until just wilted, about
1 minute. Season with salt
and pepper and serve.
—HUGH ACHESON