Member of the BannerWomen Network





Looking for a gourmet getaway?
Read about THE RASPBERRY INN


Trinculo's Cafe has won the



award!



October 5, 2003

It’s fall again – the Autumn Equinox come and gone in a blaze of welcome cool
weather. This is the time of year we begin to appreciate hearty homemade soup.
One of the amazing things we’ve noticed over the past year or so is the
proliferation of restaurants offering Italian Wedding Soup – a delicious 
all-in-one meal, really, especially satisfying when served with a crusty loaf
of Italian bread and a simple mixed green salad.
Having grown up in an Italian household, we’re on intimate terms with Italian
Wedding Soup – but as children we never knew its real name. We always called 
it Swamp Soup – because if it’s made right, that’s exactly what it 
resembles: a bowl full of swampy water. 
Don’t be fooled by commercial imitations or menus offering lackluster soups
that only approximate the real thing. Herewith we present our original family
recipe, generations old, for authenticSwamp Soup.


Minestra Italiana Di Nozze (Italian Wedding Soup)

1 large stewing fowl or chicken
1 ½ lbs. of your favorite meatball recipe
1/4 cup olive oil (for browning meatballs)
1 lb. fresh escarole
4 large eggs
2 cups of freshly grated, fine-grained Parmesan or Romano cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

Remove and discard any giblets, gizzards etc. from the fowl and rinse gently.
Place in a large pot with enough water to cover well. Simmer, covered, over 
low heat until the meat can easily be pulled from the bone. 

While the fowl is stewing, roll small meatballs
(about the size of a medium marble) from the meatball mix. 
Brown lightly in olive oil, drain on paper towels and set aside.

When the fowl is tender, remove it from the stock and shred 
the meat into smallish pieces, discarding all bones and skin. 
Skim any large bits of stray skin, etc. off the top of the 
stock and return shredded meat to the pot.

Wash and trim the escarole thoroughly. Shred into irregular pieces. 
Add it, with the meatballs, to the stockpot and simmer for another 
30 minutes. When the meatballs are cooked through, beat the eggs and 
cheese together until a thick mix forms. Bring the stock to a boil 
and scrape the whole mix into the boiling stock. Stir thoroughly so 
that the egg and cheese mix breaks apart. Turn off heat and let sit, 
covered, for 5-10 minutes.

Sample a bit of soup and correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper 
until the broth is accented to your taste.

There you have it – authentic Swamp Soup – no rice, pasta, vegetables 
or other intruders. This is what Italian Wedding Soup should be.
Goda, e buon appetito!




NEW!

Click here to see the complete
collection of recipes from The Stray Gourmet.



Until next time, see you around the galaxy.



Click the signature to email the Stray Gourmet. 
Send your favorite recipe, or ask for one.

Contents © 1996-2003 The Stray Gourmet

Exploring the Epicurean with The Stray Gourmet
is sponsored by
REGINA'S LAIR: The Smile of The Tiger






This site is listed in Recipe Collections.

 




 
 


Are YOU a nerd? Visit


Do you search a lot? Try 
SEARCHALOT
 
 
 SearchHippo