VIDEO: Italian wedding soup (married soup)

I thought Italian wedding would be hard to make but it’s not at all.

Minestra maritata (marriage soup or wedding soup) is named after the marrying of meats with vegetables.

Ingredients — serves 6, meal-sized proportions (45 minutes)

• 454 grams of lean ground beef and ground pork blend (or all beef)

• 1 egg

• 1/2 cup milk

• 2/3 cup quick oats

• 2 cloves minced garlic

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• (opt) 1 tsp ground flax

• 1 tbsp oil or butter
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• 2 tbsp olive oil or butter

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 onion, diced

• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 3 large carrots, diced

• 3L chicken or vegetable broth (or stock)

• 3 bay leaves

• 2 tsp mixed Italian herbs (I generally add 1 tsp of rosemary and 1 tsp of thyme)

• 1/2 cup orzo (or barley, long-grained white rice, or farro)

• 250 grams fresh spinach

• 1/2 cup parmesan, grated or flaked

Instructions

Start with the meatballs

1. add meat, milk, oats, egg, salt, pepper and (opt) flax to a bowl

2. mix with clean hands and let sit about 10 minutes for the oats to absorb the liquid

3. roll into small balls by the teaspoon full

4. heat a heavy bottom pan on medium heat and add 1 tbsp oil or butter

5. add meatballs carefully

6. turn once one side is bottom and keep rotating until golden all over

7. turn off heat and set aside

Next, make the soup base

1. sauté garlic, onions, celery, and carrots in a heavy bottom pot with oil or butter

2. cook until tender and the onions are just starting to carmelize

3. add the broth, herbs and orzo (see note)

4. simmer until the pasta is al dente

5. add the meatballs and simmer gently for a few more minutes

6. add spinach and stir. The spinach will wilt quickly.

7. turn off heat and sprinkle cheese on top OR sprinkle cheese on individual bowls when serving

8. enjoy!

Ideal timing:

Have the meatballs cooking on a second burner and finishing close to when the orzo is done. It’s not a problem if they have to sit for a bit, you’ll just need to bring them back to temperature in the soup.

Cook the soup base until the grain is al dente (or a minute or two before) and add meatballs to bring them to them back up to temperature.

Add the spinach add simmer it for up to a minute. You want it to be large, bright and intact for the presentation.

Sprinkle parmesan cheese on while the soup is steaming so it will melt into the soup.

Notes

Flax helps bind the meatballs. It’s not really noticeable. I find it particularly useful when using pork in the meat blend. It also adds a little more fibre and some omega 3s, so why not!

Orzo cooks more quickly than barley or long grain rice. You’ll need to check the soup as you go for tenderness.