Ingredients:
Meatballs
1 pound minced beef
1/2 pound minced pork
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 minced onion
4 gloves minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Egg
1/2 cup parsley finely chopped
Soup
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 Small Onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 celery Stalks, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 can tomato paste
1 can chopped tomatoes
5 cups beef broth
3 cups cabbage finely chopped
3 cups spinach finely chopped
1/4 cup parsley finely chopped
1 bay leave
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt & pepper to taste
1 can pinto or Cannellini beans, drained
1 cup elbow dried Pasta
To serve
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions:
Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl along with the ground meat, salt, pepper, egg, and parsley.
Use your fingers to blend the mixture together.
Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Roll the meat into 1 1/2 inch balls, and drop into the hot frying pan or oven to bake (400 degree F for 25 mins)
Lightly brown the meatballs on all sides, then set aside until needed.
In a large stockpot, heat the remaining oil over medium heat, and cook the onion, carrot, and celery for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the zucchini, tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, bayleaf and beef broth and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer, and add the meatballs, cabbage, spinach, parsley, oregano, basil, salt and pepper.
Cook for 10 minutes until the meatballs have cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Add the pasta and beans, and continue to cook until the pasta is “al dente”.
Serve hot, topped with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.