Italian Wedding Soup

Ingredients

• 8 cups baby spinach 
• 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs (preferably panko)
• 3  carrots finely chopped
• 3 cups chicken broth fat-free low-sodium
• 2 teaspoons sage fresh chopped
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 0.5 pound ground pork 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil extra-virgin
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 0.8 cup orzo pasta 
• 1  parmesan cheese rind grated plus more for topping
• 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce 

Equipment

• bowl
• ladle
• pot

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 4 minutes.
3. Add half of the garlic and 1 teaspoon each Worcestershire sauce and sage; cook 1 minute.
4. Add the chicken broth, 3 cups water and the parmesan rind and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, mix the pork, breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon grated parmesan, the remaining garlic and the remaining 1 teaspoon each Worcestershire sauce and sage in a bowl. Form into 1-inch meatballs.
6. Increase the heat to medium high and bring the soup to a boil. Stir in the orzo and cook 6 minutes.
7. Add the meatballs and cook until they are firm and float to the top, about 4 more minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 more minute. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with parmesan.
8. Photograph by Antonis Achilleos