Weekend Recipe: Pittsburgh Wedding Soup

Tender meatballs, pasta, and greens match up perfectly in this popular regional recipe, but should a batch take all day to prepare? Cook's Country wanted a Pittsburgh Wedding Soup recipe that tasted as if it had taken all day to make, but was actually much quicker to prepare.

To do this, we poached the meatballs directly in our store-bought broth instead of cooking them individually. While most Pittsburgh Wedding Soup recipes call for stirring chopped spinach or escarole into the soup just before serving, we found these greens too bland and delicate. Chopped kale proved a better alternative, adding great flavor and texture to our Pittsburgh Wedding Soup.

Pittsburgh Wedding Soup
Serves 6 to 8

If meatloaf mix isn't available, substitute 1 pound of 85 percent lean ground beef. Serve with extra Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

INGREDIENTS

Meatballs:
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound meatloaf mix

Soup:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
1 large head kale or Swiss chard, stemmed, leaves chopped
1 cup orzo
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the meatballs: Using potato masher, mash bread and milk in large bowl until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, except meatloaf mix, and mash to combine. Add meatloaf mix and knead by hand until well combined. Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs (you should have about 55 meatballs) and arrange on rimmed baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes. (Meatballs can be made up to 24 hours in advance.)

2. For the soup: Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to boil. Stir in kale and simmer until softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in meatballs and pasta, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until meatballs are cooked through and pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Serve. (Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

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