Mini Sausage Meatball Minestra Recipes

MINI MEATBALL MINESTRA AND GRILLED PROVOLONE

Steps:

• In a heavy bottomed soup pot heat olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onions and 2 cloves of garlic and saute 4 to 5 minutes then add the escarole and wilt. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in beans, add stock and water and bring to boil.
• While stock comes to a boil, combine meat, egg, bread crumbs, milk, a handful of cheese, fennel, allspice, parsley, salt and pepper. Combine and roll into 1-inch balls, and add to the soup. Cook 2 minutes then add in pasta and cook 6 minutes more. Turn off the heat, garnish with lemon zest and serve with cheese passed at the table.

ORZO WITH MINI SAUSAGE MEATBALLS AND KALE

Steps:

• Remove the casings from each sausage link, then pinch about 1 teaspoon sausage with your fingers and roll it into a mini meatball. Repeat with remaining sausage. (Each link should yield 10 to 13 meatballs.) Brown the meatballs in a large cast-iron, enameled cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat, until nicely browned all over, about 6 minutes total.
• Add the chicken stock to the pan along with the orzo. Cover and simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes. Lift the lid and give it a stir, making sure no pasta is sticking to the pan. Add the kale, nestle it in, then cover and simmer another 2 minutes. Lift the lid and add the juice from half the lemon (cut the remaining half into wedges). Stir and simmer until the orzo is just al dente, an additional minute or so. Season to taste with a pinch of salt if needed.
• Divide among shallow bowls and garnish with plenty of grated Parmesan, along with extra lemon wedges and parsley. And crusty bread. Always.

MINESTRA

Steps:

• In a deep, large, heavy pot over moderate heat, saute garlic and pancetta in extra-virgin olive oil for 3 minutes. Add onions and cook 1 or 2 minutes longer.
• Add the greens and wilt them down to fit them all in the pot. Add beans, broth, and nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook over moderate to medium-high heat for 12 minutes, or until greens are no longer bitter. Serve with shaved cheese, bread, and good red wine.

MINI SAUSAGE MEATBALL MINESTRA

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the EVOO in a large skillet. Roll the sausage into walnut-sized meatballs. Drop them into the skillet and brown on all sides, then remove. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onions and garlic for 5 minutes, then wilt in the escarole and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the beans and heat through. Stir in the stock and bring to a boil, then add the pasta and cook to al dente. Add the meatballs back to the pot for the last 4 minutes of cooking. Adjust the seasonings and serve with cheese sprinkled heavily on top. Pass the crusty bread for mopping.

MINESTRONE WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the carrots, celery and leek; cook for 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, green beans and garlic; cook 1 minute longer. , Stir in the broth, tomatoes, cabbage, basil, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes. , Return to a boil. Stir in the garbanzo beans, pasta and parsley. Cook for 6-9 minutes or until pasta is tender. Serve with cheese.

MINI MEATBALL MINESTRA

Steps:

• In a heavy bottomed soup pot heat olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onions and 2 cloves of garlic and saute 4 to 5 minutes then add the escarole and wilt. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in beans, add stock and water and bring to boil.
• While stock comes to a boil, combine meat, egg, bread crumbs, milk, a handful of cheese, fennel, allspice, parsley, salt and pepper. Combine and roll into 1-inch balls, and add to the soup. Cook 2 minutes then add in pasta and cook 6 minutes more.
• Turn off the heat, garnish with lemon zest and serve with cheese passed at the table.