| Serves |
|---|
| 4-6 |
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- Olive oil
- 1 slice sandwich bread
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 egg
- ¼ red onion, very finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 454g ground turkey or pork
- ¾ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped oregano
- ¼–½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt & pepper
For the Soup
- ¾ red onion, sliced into thin wedges
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- ½ fennel bulb, diced
- Salt & pepper
- 1 (540 ml) can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ¼–½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 litres chicken broth
- ¾ cup short soup pasta, such as acini de pepe, orzo, or alphabet pasta
- 4 large handfuls baby spinach
- ½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- ½ lemon, juice
Directions
- For the meatballs, heat your oven to 400ºF and lightly coat the bottom of a sheet pan with oil.
- Tear the bread into small pieces and add into a large bowl along with the milk. Stir to combine and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the milk and break down slightly.
- Add in the egg, onion, and garlic and beat to combine. Add in the turkey, Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, oregano, and red pepper flakes, and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of pepper. Using two forks or your fingers almost like rakes, mix just until well combined. Scoop tablespoons of the mixture out onto a sheet pan or plate then roll into small meatballs. You want them to be smaller than a ping pong ball. If the mixture is a bit sticky, simply dampen your hands every so often – this will keep the mixture from sticking to your hands.
- Roast the meatballs for 14 to 16 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom and cooked through.
- Meanwhile, place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add in about a tablespoon of oil. Add the onion, carrots, and fennel and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until softened and lightly caramelized. Add in the beans, garlic, and red pepper flakes and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes or until the beans start to pick up a little colour and their skins begin to burst.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high, carefully pour in the broth, add the meatballs, and bring to a boil. If you have a rind of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese hanging around, you can add it now too. It will give the soup some extra flavour. When the soup comes to a boil, add in the pasta and cook for 10 until the vegetables and pasta are tender and the meatballs are cooked through.
- In the last minute or two of cooking, stir in the spinach to wilt. Just before serving, stir through the Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, and lemon juice. Serve with big shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano on top.