Bottega - Michael Chiarello [36]
Yes, the meatball-making can be tedious if you’re doing it alone. Don’t sit there by yourself; have at least one of your children or a friend—anyone you like talking with—sitting across from you and rolling, too. For me, decades later, the time I spent rolling meatballs with my mom is time that I look back on with gratitude.
My mom always used a lot of liquid in her meatballs; this will seem like too much water when you’re adding it, but it will work out just right for supremely tender meatballs. I like using homemade bread crumbs, but you can always buy crumbs if you like.
Bright spinach gives this soup some color. In the autumn, I switch to mustard greens. Don’t sprinkle Parmesan on this soup; it calls for first-rate pecorino and tiny dishes of Calabrian chile paste as a condiment for anyone who wants some. Serve each bowl with a thick slice of toasted country-style bread that’s been brushed with olive oil.
Wine Pairing: Rosé Champagne
MEATBALLS
1/3 cup cold water
1/3 cup Dried Bread Crumbs or store-bought bread crumbs
1 pound ground beef, about 20 percent fat
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup grated pecorino
3 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
PASTINA SOUP
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large yellow onions, diced
3 celery stalks, cut into 3-inch pieces
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
8 cups Chicken Broth or store-bought chicken stock or water
1 chicken, about 4 pounds
2 fresh thyme sprigs
3 bay leaves
One 14-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juice
½ pound pastina
1½ cups julienned spinach leaves
6 slices bruschetta for serving
Grated pecorino cheese for serving
Calabrian chile paste for serving
FOR THE MEATBALLS: In a medium bowl, pour the water over the bread crumbs and let stand for 5 minutes while you season the meat. In a large bowl, mix together the meat, egg, pecorino, parsley, garlic, sea salt, and pepper. (I use my hands, but you can use a wooden spoon if you like.) Pour in the bread crumbs and water and mix that in too. Don’t let it worry you that the mixture seems wet.
Divide the meat mixture in half and roll one half into a cylinder about 1 inch in diameter, the size of a rope. Cut into 1-inch pieces and roll each piece into a small ball about the size of a marble. Set each meatball on a baking sheet. When you’ve finished shaping half the meat, repeat with the second half. You should have about 80 meatballs all together.
Pour 3 cups of water into a large saucepan. Add the kosher salt and bring to a gentle simmer. Gently add about two dozen of the meatballs and cook for 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or wire skimmer, transfer the meatballs to a baking sheet. Add another two dozen meatballs to the pan, cook for 2 minutes, and continue this way until every meatball is poached.
FOR THE SOUP: Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat, pour in the olive oil, and when it’s shimmering, sauté the onions, celery, and carrots until browned, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth, chicken, herbs, tomatoes, and tomato juice. Bring to a strong simmer, then reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 1 hour. Remove from the heat and let cool to the touch. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet. Save the chicken for another use, or serve for a second course. (My mother always kept the bird warm and served it as a second course.) Strain the soup into a large pot.
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pastina until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pastina and add to the soup.