Aunt Nancy’s Sicilian Wedding Soup

This is a lovely, hearty soup to warm you on those chilly nights. My Aunt Nancy is an incredible woman who at 90 years old is still keeping us all smiling. My mother’s sister, one of 5 siblings who were raised in Akron , Ohio by my emigrant grandparents from Sicily . Aunt Nancy, like her other siblings, watched over all of us (sons, daughters, nieces, nephews) as part of a huge extended family. You couldn’t get away with a whole lot with all of those eyes on you. Thank you Aunt Nancy for your love and your spirit (oh, yes and your Wedding Soup recipe)!

MEATBALLS:

1 lb ground beef

1 C bread crumb ( I like the seasoned ones, but Aunt Nancy is a purest)

½ C grated Romano Cheese

dash onion powder

2 Eggs

Salt/Pepper to taste

Mix these ingredients together and roll into tiny meatballs, brown in 1 Tbsp Winterhill Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Drain onto paper towels and set aside.

SOUP:

In 4 Quarts water, stew a whole chicken until cooked (if you are really strapped for time, you can buy a pre-roasted chicken). Remove chicken and debone and shred and then return the meat to the pot.

Add 2 dices carrots and 2 stalks of diced celery. Bring to a boil, add the meatballs and 1 lb. finely chopped escarole. Reduce the heat and simmer 45 minutes.

In a separate pot, simmer ½ lb of any type of small pasta (stars, alphabet, ditali, etc.) until cooked and then add drained, cooked pasta to your simmering soup. MANGIA!