Our Favorite Recipe This Summer
It’s hard to believe it’s already August. Phew! Time has been moving quickly here at Seattle Cucina, as we have been running a full load of online camps, enrichments, team bonding classes, and parties!
July was a total blast, and with only ~1 month to go this summer, Alice and I wanted to pick our favorite recipe from camp this summer. Well- that was easier said than done…
We had a hard time picking one recipe, so we went with two! This week, we would love to share with you: Italian Wedding Soup!
No- you do not need to attend a wedding to enjoy this soup. This recipe is both delicious and fun to cook for chefs of all ages and skill levels. You can perfect your knife skills as you prepare a mix of vegetables, master the meat(or mushroom)ball, or finesse your flavoring skills as you season this soup to perfection. We hope you enjoy!
Italian Wedding Soup
8 servings
Ingredients:
For the meatballs:
8 ounces (1/2 lb) ground beef
8 ounces (1/2 lb) ground pork
*If vegetarian: 3 cups finely minced mushrooms of choice (pulsed in food processor is best)
2/3 cup bread crumbs
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
3 tablespoons milk
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the soup:
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 cup minced yellow onion
1 cup diced carrots (3 carrots), diced
3/4 cup diced celery (2 stalks), diced
*1 cup Any other summer vegetable you desire, diced
Our favorites have been: fennel, zucchini, and beets
10 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup small pasta (tubetini, stars, small macaroni)
1/4 cup minced fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried dill)
12 ounces fresh baby spinach, washed (frozen OK too)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
For the meatballs, place the ground meats (or minced mushrooms), bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a tablespoon, drop meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for ~20 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.
In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery plus any other vegetables you’d like to add (excluding tender greens) and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the chicken or vegetable stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. 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.
Supplies needed:
Knives / scissors / lettuce knife
Cutting boards
Measuring cups & spoons
2 medium bowls
Large pot
Large sheet tray lined with parchment paper
2 large wooden spoons
A few metal spoons / forks
Cheese grater (if cheese is not pre-grated)
Stay tuned next week for our other favorite recipe!
Best,
Erica & Alice