Italian Wedding Soup

• For the meatballs:
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/4 cup commercial bread crumbs (or grate your own from stale Italian bread)
• 1 egg
• 1 Tsbp grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 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
• Orzo - small grains of pasta shaped like barley (optional)

1. Combine the ground meat, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, minced garlic, salt and pepper in mixing bowl.
2. Mix well with a fork and form into tiny meat balls (about the size of marbles) with your hands.
3. *(Place meatballs on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes at 350? F, until brown. ) ALTERNATE METHOD FOR MEATBALLS)
4. About ten minutes before serving, bring the chicken broth to a boil, add the spinach and cook until tender.
5. Add the meatballs and return soup to a simmer.
6. Stir in the Pecorino cheese and serve.
7. *Note: you can saute the meatballs in virgin olive oil until brown, 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

ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, parmesan cheese, basil, onion, clove garlic, paprika, salt, chicken broth, spinach, pecorino romano cheese, grains of pasta shaped like barley

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/italian-wedding-soup-50129324 (may not work)