Easy Italian Recipes

 MAKES 6 servings

- 3 qt (3 I) chicken stock
- 1 Ib (500 g) cavolo nero, dinosaur kale, escarole, or other greens, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 large carrots, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
For the meatballs
- 1 Ib (500 g) ground (minced) pork
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup (21/2 oz/75 g) minced yellow onion
- 1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) plain fine dried bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) grated pecorino romano cheese
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Grated pecorino romano cheese for serving

Good enough to serve at any celebratory meal, minestra maritata, or "wedding soup," traditionally included different cuts of pork and a big variety of vegetables, which were slowly simmered together until the ingrediente were pronounced "married." Here, in a streamlined version of this classic southern soup, pork meatballs are cooked with a handful of fresh, hearty vegetables.

In a large soup pot, bring the stock to a boil over high heat. Add the cavolo nero, carrots, and celery, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine the pork, eggs, onion, bread crumbs, cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper and mix well. Moisten your hands and shape the mixture into small balls, handling them gently. As they are formed, piace them on a plate.
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. When ali the meatballs are ready, gently add them to the frying pan and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, carefully add them to the simmering soup and simmer gently over low heat until the meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Buon appetito!