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1/4 cup bread crumbs (commercial, or grate your own from stale Italian bread)
1 egg
1 T parsley, finely chopped
1/2 clove garlic, minced (optional)
1/2 tsp paprika (optional)
1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste
For the soup:
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups spinach, chopped
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
OPTIONAL: Orzo - small grains of pasta shaped like barley.
Large soup pot, baking sheet.
COMBINE the ground meat, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, minced garlic and salt and pepper in mixing bowl. Mix well with a fork and form into tiny meat balls (shown are about the size of a golf ball, but traditional meatballs are a bit smaller) with your hands.
PLACE meatballs on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes at 350F, until brown. (See ALTERNATE, below)
ABOUT ten minutes before serving, bring the chicken broth to a boil, add the spinach and cook until tender. Add the meatballs and return soup to a simmer. Stir in the Pecorino cheese and serve.
ALTERNATE: you can sauté the meatballs in olive oil until brown and procede with step 3 (above), or bring your chicken stock to a low boil, add the uncooked meatballs, simmer for about 25 minutes, add the spinach, cook until tender, stir in the cheese and serve.
