Italian Mini-Meatball Soup

Mini-Balls

Italian Meatball Soup tastes delicious when using your own beef stock. But for this recipe I use canned broth just to save some time. You can make this recipes with beef, beef and pork or like my Grandmother who used beef, veal and pork. 
When I use the beef or the beef pork combination I always fry the meatballs first before dropping them into the broth. If I use just pork I drop them in the boiling broth raw. Either way they’re delicious.
Always add Parmesan cheese to mixture. It gives the meat a great flavor. Of course I always sprinkle cheese all over the top of the Meatball Soup. It wouldn’t be the same without it. Enjoy
INGREDIENTS
Meatballs

1 pound of ground beef

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 bunch of long green onions, finely chopped

1/4 cup of fresh flat leaf Italian parsley

1/2 cup of fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup of seasoned bread crumbs

1 egg

1/2 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp of fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
Soup

1 pound of Acini di Pepe pasta

1 yellow onion, diced

3 carrots, sliced into circles

3 celery ribs, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

3 Tbls of extra virgin olive oil

4 cups of beef broth

1 cup of water

1 15oz can to diced tomatoes

1 small can of tomato sauce

1/2 tsp o salt

1 tsp of fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup of fresh grated Parmesan cheese
PREPARATION

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together the beef, garlic, long green onions, parsley, cheese, bread crumbs, egg, salt and pepper.

Shape the meat into balls smaller than regular meatballs

Using a large frying pan, fry the meatballs in the oil until browned on both sides.

Remove the meatballs and drain on a paper towel.

In a large pot, sauté the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in the olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the beef broth, water, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce.

Season with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for around 30 minutes.

Add the meatballs and cook for 15 minutes more.

In 3 quarts of boiling salted water cook the pasta until al dente. Around 10 minutes.

Drain the pasta.

Add the pasta to each serving bowl and spoon the soup on top.
NOTE: I always make the pasta separate to avoid it adsorbing the liquid from the soup.
Serve with remaining Parmesan cheese