Bobby Spatucci's Sicilian Wedding Soup
Bobby Spatucci, also known by his professional name of Bobby Hedglin-Taylor, occasionally sends us recipes that he has enjoyed with his family. They always sound wonderful and we are happy to share them with our viewers. This soup comes from his grandmother and we can see why it’s a family favorite!
Bobby says “I like Raviolitini in this soup because they remind me of the little ravioli’s Nona would make fresh and add to her soups. That’s what we like about handed-down recipes: They come with built-in memories!
Ingredients
- 1 pound of ground chicken
- 3 tablespoons Filippo Berio olive oil, divided
- 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup of seasoned breadcrumbs
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 quart of chicken broth
- 3 cans of cannelloni beans (white beans)
- 1 Parmesan or Romano Cheese rind. (Because they are salty, use a small rind.)
- 1 head of escarole, washed and roughly chopped
- 1 pound of raviolitini or small pasta
- 1 tablespoon oregano or to taste
- 1 tablespoon basil or to taste
- 1 tablespoon thyme or to taste
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 5 If you like a spicy soup, add some red pepper flakes for the lastminutes of cooking.
- INGREDIENTS
Directions
- TO MAKE THE MEATBALLS
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the Parmesan cheese, and the breadcrumbs. When well mixed, form into 1-inch meatballs.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the meatballs evenly. As they brown, remove them with a slotted spoon and put them into a baking pan or dish. Bake them for 12 to 15 minutes. Do not overcook them. Set them aside when they are done.
- TO MAKE THE SOUP
- Heat the other 2 tablespoons of olive oil in your soup pot over medium heat and sauté the minced garlic just until it is just slightly golden. (Overcooking will make it bitter.) Add the onions and sauté until they turn opaque and start to turn golden. Then add the chicken broth and beans. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the cheese rind, meatballs and escarole. Let the soup simmer while the pasta is prepared.
- Fill your pasta pot with lots of salted water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and then add the herbs and pepper to the simmering soup pot. Taste it to see if additional salt is needed.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta well and scoop 1/2 cup into each soup bowl. Ladle the soup over the pasta and serve immediately. Pass grated Parmigiano or Romano cheese for sprinkling over the soup and fill the breadbasket with a nice crusty bread. Then enjoy!
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Comments
connie
Great Soup….
This is a great web site and easy to use.
JOELLE WATTS
Very similar to our Sicilian family recipe that I grew up on. Differences were made first in our meatballs just like our large ones – ground beef, ground pork and ground veal instead of ground chicken. Also, one small can of plain tomato sauce (or home canned) and no cheese in the soup. Cheese added later. Bread crumbs were plain and seasoning done depending on what we were making. No oregano, no thyme. Plenty of fresh basil, fresh parsley, and, of course the sweet escarole.
Bobby Hedglin-Taylor
Thank you for the comments! I’ve made this soup for so many years and my Nonna always told stories of how her mother and step mothers would make it. Her one step mother was greek and she would add large lamb meatballs to the soup. Our tradition was family based but my Nonna would always say “THIS is the way you make it”…. so, when I made it she would critique my work and then I got her smile, and seal of approval. The cheese rind is a classic addition that adds a nutty flavor to the soup so you don’t need a lot of salt. I don’t know where the chicken meatballs came into play, but they were always in it and as small as marbles. Nonna had a small measuring spoon she would use to form the balls and very dark green olive oil to rub on her hands so they wouldn’t stick when she rolled them. Thank you for trying it! Abbondanza! Bobby HT.