Italian wedding soup, or minestra maritata, doesn’t really have much to do with weddings at all. It’s said to get its name from the “marriage” of the ingredients—meat, greens, and noodles or eggs. Recipes range from the simple, like the one Anne-marie. Ramo provides here, to the complex, requiring days and many ingredients to prepare.

Although Anne-marie is of Italian descent, this recipe didn’t come from that side of her family. She remembers making it first with her maternal grandfather, Virgil Olsen, when she was a little girl—swirling the stock when it was time to add the eggs and eating it in a big mug on a chilly day. Her grandpa didn’t add meatballs, but the meatballs make this dish a little more substantial without being too fussy.

Serves 4 to 6

MEATBALLS

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs made from rustic white bread
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 6 ounces ground beef (85% lean), home-ground (see [>]) or store-bought
• 6 ounces ground pork or Italian sausages, removed from the casings
• 1/4 pound ground veal or turkey

SOUP

INGREDIENTS

• 3 quarts homemade chicken stock or best-quality canned low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 pound escarole, spinach, chard, or curly endive, washed and coarsely chopped
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for garnish
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

MEATBALLS PREPARATION

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, mixing quickly and gently.
2. Do not overmix, or the meatballs will be rubbery.
3. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. (You should have 22 to 24 meatballs.)

SOUP PREPARATION

1. Bring the stock to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add the meatballs and escarole, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the meatballs are cooked through and the escarole is tender, 5 to 8 minutes.
3. While the meatballs and escarole are cooking, whisk the eggs and cheese in a medium bowl to blend.
4. Turn off the heat and, stirring the soup in one direction, drizzle in the egg mixture to form thin ribbons of egg.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

SERVING

1. Ladle the soup into bowls, dividing the meatballs evenly.
2. Garnish each serving with more cheese and some parsley.

ALTERNATIVE CUTS

• Any combination of ground meat you like—all beef, all pork, or all turkey; beef and pork; beef and turkey; etc.; a nice blend is half beef and half homemade Italian sausage.
• Grass-fed beef or bison; or add a little lamb or goat to the mix.

COOK’S NOTES

• For a richer cheese flavor, add 2 to 4 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rinds to the stock and simmer for 10 minutes before adding the meatballs to the soup. Remove and discard the rinds before serving.
• These are great all-purpose meatballs. Panfry or bake them and serve as is or in tomato sauce. Make them as little or as big as you like.