Name: Italian wedding soup with chicken meatballs
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 130 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Soffritto; 1 stalk celery with leaves, cut into chunks; 1/2 small carrot, peeled, cut into chunks; 1/2 medium onion, cut into chunks; 2 clove garlic, peeled; handful fresh basil leaves; 1 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive, plus extra to serve; 14 cup (3.5l) cold water; 1 head curly endive, about 600g, or other green, such as silverbeet or chicory, cut into 1cm ribbons; 1 small fennel bulb, halved, and cut into 1/2 cm thick slices; 250 gram zucchini, cut into 1cm pieces; 3 teaspoon salt; Chicken meatballs; 60 gram rustic white bread, about 1/4 ciabatta without crusts (weighed after removing crusts), torn into pieces; enough milk to just cover bread; 250 gram chicken sausages, meat removed from casings; 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten; 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley; 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; crusty bread rolls, to serve; pecorino cheese shavings, to serve

Italian wedding soup with chicken meatballs

Serves 6

Prep

40M

Cook

1H 30M

Total

2H 10M

Ingredients

Soffritto

1 stalk celery with leaves, cut into chunks

1/2 small carrot, peeled, cut into chunks

1/2 medium onion, cut into chunks

2 clove garlic, peeled

handful fresh basil leaves

1 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive, plus extra to serve

14 cup (3.5l) cold water

1 head curly endive, about 600g, or other green, such as silverbeet or chicory, cut into 1cm ribbons

1 small fennel bulb, halved, and cut into 1/2 cm thick slices

250 gram zucchini, cut into 1cm pieces

3 teaspoon salt

Chicken meatballs

60 gram rustic white bread, about 1/4 ciabatta without crusts (weighed after removing crusts), torn into pieces

enough milk to just cover bread

250 gram chicken sausages, meat removed from casings

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

crusty bread rolls, to serve

pecorino cheese shavings, to serve

Method

1.To make soffritto, whiz all ingredients in a processor until finely chopped.

2.Heat oil in a large saucepan over moderate heat, add soffritto and cook until dry, about 5 minutes. Stir in water, cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in curly endive, fennel, zucchini and salt. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

3.Meanwhile, make meatballs, Place bread in a bowl and cover with milk to soak for a few minutes. Squeeze out moisture. Shred and place in a bowl. Add sausage meat. Egg and parsley, and season to taste. Mix well, then shape with wet hands into small balls and set aside. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Heat oil over moderate heat in a large frying pan; add meatballs and cook until golden.

4.Add meatballs to simmering soup and cook gently, uncovered, a further 5 minutes. Serve with crusty rolls, pecorino and extra oil, to drizzle.

Women's Weekly Food