Sea Weed Soup - Chicorina Soup

by Baca

The recipe is really Chicorina Soup but my grandchildren call it Sea Weed Soup.Probably because they thought it was the stuff they saw on the beach! They love it and gobble it all up when I make it.

Meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat leaf Italian parsley
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Soup:
3 quarts chicken stock
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 cups chopped onion
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped carrots
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped celery
with the leaves
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley and fresh dill
1 box (10 oz) frozen spinach
1 cup rosamarina pasta
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients. Form mixture into about 30 tiny meatballs; set aside.
In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the garlic, onion ,tomatoes, carrots, celery, pepper, and parsley; reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the spinach, meatballs and rosamarina and continue to simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the eggs and the cheese. Return the soup to a boil, add the cheese egg
mixture, and let it boil for 1 minute, stirring gently.

NOTE: This soup is even better when it is made in advance. If it's too thick, add more chicken stock.

Also, my grandkids love escarole so I more often than not add escarole to replace the frozen spinach. They do love this soup either way. Make sure you have a good loaf of Italian bread to mop up the last of the broth in the bowl. Enjoy!