BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP

Barefoot Contessa's Italian Wedding Soup image

Provided by keldry

Time 30m

Yield 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 19

3/4 lb ground chicken
1/2 lb chicken sausage, casings removed
2/3 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, and more for serving
3 tablespoons milk
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup minced yellow onion
1 cup diced carrot (3 carrots)
3/4 cup diced celery (2 stalks)
10 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup small shell pasta
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
12 ounces Baby Spinach, washed and trimmed

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the meatballs~ place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon or small portion scoop, drop 1 to 1 1/4-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (Makes about 40 meatballs.) Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.
While the meatballs ar baking, prepare the soup broth: heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted.
Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan.