Italian Chicken Soup
No garlic is used anywhere in this recipe. The preparation of this soup (or broth, if you prefer) is no different from regular chicken soup except that it does not call for carrots or any of those tasty vegetables that we put into our soups. We use onions, celery, and parsley only! So make the soup and keep it simmering over low heat while you prepare the tiny meat balls. Remember to chop the celery, onions, and parsley into very small pieces before you add them to the soup.
Ingredients
Broth:
- 1 whole chicken
- Celery
- Onions
- Italian (flat leaf) parsley
- 1-2 eggs
- Romano cheese
- Parsley For the meatballs:
- 1 lb of beef, chopped (use chuck or sirloin)
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup Romano (or Parmesean) cheese - use more or less, to taste
- 2-3 eggs
- Parsley
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
Using a large bowl, add the breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix all of the ingredients well, then add the chopped meat and eggs. Nana used one egg for each pound of meat, so 2 eggs should be enough for this recipe, but add another if the mixture seems too dry.
After all ingredients have been mixed with our hygienically clean hands, shape into tiny meatballs, and I emphasize tiny because they have to fit on the soup spoon.
Drop the meatballs into the broth to cook.
Just a reminder - when shaping the tiny meatballs, have a small bowl of water handy to wet hands every now and then. This keeps the meat from sticking to your hands.
Now we prepare the egg, parsley, and cheese mixture that is added to the chicken broth at the end of the cooking. Using a small bowl, add 1-2 eggs (depending on the amount of broth), chopped parsley, and Romano cheese (not too much - about a pinch and then a little more, as Nana would say). Put this mixture aside temporarily.
If you dropped the meatballs into the broth before preparing the egg and cheese mixture, they might be ready now, especially if they were made tiny. If they are and you are satisfied with the taste of the broth, add this mixture and voila - the shushedo e finito!
