Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup

The term "wedding soup" comes from the Italian language phrase "minestra maritata" or married soup. This is a reference to the flavor created by the "marriage" of the ingredients. This soup is a winter staple in our home and such a classic!

For the broth:

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

juice of one lemon

6 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup white wine

1-1 1/2 cups orzo

4 cups fresh spinach

For the meatballs:

1 lb ground turkey and chicken

1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup Italian flat leaf parsley

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon (or more) crushed red pepper flakes

splash of milk (if you have it)

zest of one lemon

1 egg

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a large pot, toss in your chopped yellow onion and 4 cloves of garlic with a little olive oil and saute.

2. Cover your baking sheet with foil and spray with a nonstick cooking spray. In a separate bowl mix together your ground chicken or turkey, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, parsley, 2 cloves of garlic, egg, milk, nutmeg, red pepper flakes and lemon zest. Mix well with your hands, then form small meatballs with your hands, you really don't want these meatballs to be too big so I say about the size of a 50 cent coin. We made 18 meatballs out of this quantity. Arrange on the cookie sheet and place in the oven for abut 20 minutes, 10 minutes on each side.

3. Back in your pot, deglaze your pot with 1/2 cup of dry white wine. Squeeze in your lemon juice from the lemon you zested. Then cut the same lemon into rounds and toss them into the pot. Then add your 6 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer.

4. When meatballs are done, add the meatballs to your soup and stir. Now also add your 1 cup of orzo and 4 cups of fresh spinach. Cover the soup with your lid so the orzo can cook about 5-7 minutes and your ingredients can marry.

5. Now you are ready to serve! You can serve the soup with the lemon rounds or take them out, really up to you. Top your soup with fresh parmesan cheese and more pepper flakes if desired.