Italian Wedding Soup

Ingredients

• 2 quarts homemade chicken stock
• 2-3 bell peppers (red & green) diced
• 1 cup diced celery (the more leaves the better) (or 2 cubes of frozen pureed celery –see side note)
• 2 onions-diced
• 2 cups carrots-fine dice or julienne
• 1.5 lbs Italian sausage (or less)
• 2 large bunches of Braised Kale or Braised Escarole  Chiffonade
• 2 cups uncooked orzo pasta OR 4 Cups of cooked white beans
• 1 cup basil pesto
• 1 Tbs. dried oregano
• 1 Tbs. dried basil (1/2 cup fresh if it’s in season)
• 3 Bay leaves
• 5 garlic cloves-minced

 Instructions:

• Bring a pot of  water to boil, add salt: add pasta
• Cook until al dente
• Drain and toss w/ basil pesto.
• Keep reserved in a separate bowl.
• Cook the Italian sausage and drain the fat.

In your stock pot:

Sauté the onions until they smell sweet. 15 min or more

Add:

• Carrots, celery and bell peppers
• Braised Greens (chiffonade)
• Oregano, bay leaves, dried basil and garlic
• Continue to sauté for 10more min.

Add:

• cooked sausage
• 2 quarts rich homemade chicken stock

Bring the entire pot to a boil, turn down and simmer for 40 min.

Serving suggestion:

Place a few Reggiano cubes in the bottom of the soup bowl.

Spoon 1/2 cup pasta in the bottom of the bowl.

Fill bowl with hot soup and top with fresh shredded Reggiano.

Soup is always better served the next day so consider making it a day ahead.

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