Italian Wedding Soup
Source of Recipe
From Chef Rocco DiSpirito, Union Pacific, New York City
Recipe Introduction
Based on a discussion of minestra maritata in La Cucina Napoletana, by
Jeanne Caròla Francesconi, Phillips says that "wedding soup" is a
mistranslation of the Italian vernacular for a good blend, or "marriage," of
ingredients. Zuppa maritata literally means "married soup."
The dish is said to have evolved from a centuries-old, single-pot meal of
meat and vegetables that may date back to Roman times.
According to Phillips, "it was standard Neapolitan fare before the
introduction of pasta, so much so that people from other regions used to
call Neapolitans 'leaf-eaters,' or mangiafoglie."
As tastes changed, the recipe was made lighter. More recently, the common
explanation of the name came to be that peasants could indulge in such a
costly soup, made with meats and chicken, only on special occasions such as
a wedding.
The soup is served to the bride and groom and their attendants alone for
luck in some cases, which accounts for many of the recipes making just four
servings. But an Italian American friend of mine insists she's never seen it
at a wedding. Her mother served it at special family meals, especially at
Easter. It took two days to prepare.
As for content, the "green" of choice is spinach or escarole. Other options
include broccoli rabe, broccoli florets, green cabbage, chicory and more. A
mix of two or more greens is common, as is the addition of fresh basil or
parsley.
The meatballs might be made of beef, veal or pork. When the stock is
homemade, the chicken meat is included in the soup.
The early Neapolitan recipe was made not with meatballs but with chunks of
meat - salami, prosciutto, pork loin, sausages - cooked to shreds.
Some cooks forgo the meat, instead drizzling egg mixed with grated cheese
into the broth to make the Italian egg-drop soup called stracciatella.
Many recipes use both egg and meatballs. Some include sliced carrots, celery
and onion. A few add a little rice, orzo or ditalini pasta, too. And a
creamy version includes heavy cream to thicken the broth.
Celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito of New York's Union Pacific restaurant made
an Italian wedding soup thick with meatballs, eggs, cheese and greens on the
Food Network.
A lighter version of stracciatella is found in The Best Recipe: Soups &
Stews, by the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine (Boston Common Press,
$29.95).
Here are both recipes. Take your choice of a hearty entree or a light first
course.
List of Ingredients
Makes 6 to 8 servings
8 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
3/4 pound ground beef
3/4 pound ground pork
8 large eggs
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 medium heads escarole, washed and chopped
Recipe
1. In a pot over medium heat, bring the broth to a boil.
2. In a bowl, mix the beef, pork, 3 eggs, the bread crumbs, basil, parsley
and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Form into 1-inch balls. Drop the meatballs into
the boiling broth.
3. Add the escarole and cook until it is wilted and the meatballs rise to
the top, about 6 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl beat the remaining 5 eggs with the
remaining 1 cup cheese. Slowly pour the egg-cheese mixture into the boiling
soup, stirring briskly and steadily with a fork until egg mixture is cooked
and forms "rags."
-
Per serving, based on 8 servings: 467 calories, 38 grams protein, 13 grams
carbohydrates, 1 gram sugar, 28 grams fat, 286 milligrams cholesterol, 984
milligrams sodium.
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