Sonoko Sakai’s Japanese Italian Wedding Soup

Sonoko Sakai’s Japanese Italian Wedding Soup

For the meatballs:

1 pound ground pork

1 yellow onion, grated

1 garlic clove, minced

1 egg

1 tablespoon sake or white wine

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons potato starch or cornstarch, diluted in 2 tablespoons water

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

¼ cup minced fresh parsley

1½ teaspoons oregano

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

For the soup:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

8 cups chicken broth

¼ cup sake

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ head escarole, coarsely chopped

½ cup acini de pepe or other small pasta (such as orzo)

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Crusty bread, to serve (optional)

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. To make meatballs, combine pork, grated onion, garlic, egg, sake, soy sauce, diluted starch, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano and Parmesan in a medium bowl. Mix ingredients with your hands until just combined. Form meatballs about 1 tablespoon in size and set them on a parchment-lined sheet pan. You will get about 40 meatballs. Bake on middle rack for 20 minutes, until they are lightly browned and nearly cooked.

3. To make soup, set a large pot over medium, add oil and sauté onions and garlic until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the broth, sake and soy sauce to the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and add the meatballs, one at a time. Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the escarole, cover with the lid and simmer for another 10 minutes.

4. In the meantime, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add a pinch of salt and the pasta. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until al dente. Rinse with cold water, drain and set aside.

5. Just before serving the soup, add the cooked pasta to the pot. Season with salt, pepper and lemon zest. Serve with grated Parmesan and crusty bread, if desired.