pasta for italian weddin soup

Italian Wedding Soup Pasta

Look in your local supermarket for pasta labeled Acini De Pepe, if you can't find that have a look for Tubettini, if you can't find either of these then you may have to use pastina if you can find that locally. Our local Target store has the Acini De Pepe in the Archer Farms brand, it is the Target house brand I think. I usually add the very tiny meatballs to the broth raw and let them cook in the soup, use a very lean meat for them. Wedding soup is one of my favorites and I make it very often for myself, the rest of this family is weird and don't care for any soups, so I have to consume all of them myself......oh the pity of it all, hopefully they never wake up to how great soup can be.

I have always used Orzo for wedding soup and tubbatinni for minestrone but to everyones own. I cook meatballs 3/4 way in slow oven then into soup after draining well.

I recommend using rice, and lots of parmigiano when you serve it.

All the versions I've had served to me are as Siduri described. Rice, lots of parm.

Never had nor seen it with rice but that doesn't mean that it hasn't been done and that's obvious but Siduri and Phatch with their posts. Can't say that I would enjoy it not being a huge fan of rice.

That said I use Israeli Cous Cous in mine. I have on occasion used the Acini De Pepe that matte mentions as well as orzo and diatalini. Colivita makes soup shells which are great for Pasta e Fragioli but have never tried them in Wedding soup. I in a pinch any of the last three could work since I have a feeling that in some cases it was whatever small pasta was available in the house. I vaguely remember seeing my randmother cutting her fresh spaghetti and then rolling it on the table with her hands to make it somewhat round.

As far as the meatballs go, I used lean ground chicken in my mix. Bread crumbs, parsley a scant touch of fresh basil, eggs and as siduri mentions a ton of Reggiano. I use a #70 scoop for the size. When it's served as a soup course I flatten the scoop and then round by hand. When it's as the main, I use a rounded scoop. Both go directly into the stock to cook. I typically allow for 30 minutes to cook given they are poultry.

The escarole or endive (depending what is available fresh and all chopped) get added during the last 15-20 minutes after the meatballs are added but if I have to use spinach (chopped as well and if the other two are not available....) it get's added just before service. The Pasta is always cooked separately and added as a garnish with some chiffonade of basil and fresh grated Reggiano.

Maybe its a regeonal thing but I have never had it with rice either. I guess you could use any kind of rice or pasta.

I've always used acini de pepe or orzo.
Never had it with rice.
I'm sure it's good, but the rice breaks down more than pasta.
Never tried Israeli cous cous.
I have some in dry storage, gonna have to do it now.

When out of small pasta at times I have even broken apart angel hair pasta and thrown it in. I don't know what the "rules" are but I tend to use whatever I have.

I make my meatballs and bake them in the oven first on parchment paper. Adding them to the stock raw gives off some impurities I don't care for.

Whatever you do, do not forget to place a parmesan cheese rind into the broth-making process!

This may not answer your question, but it might be something you would want to try.

Yesterday, I made something similar to what you're talking about. I made little Italian meatballs (just hamburger, seasoned bread crumbs, leftover rice, ketchup, an egg and Italian seasonings). I cooked them in a deep pan until brown on all sides. I soaked about 1 1/2 cups of white beans (I'm going to use canned next time) the day before. I sauteed onions, celery and garlic in olive oil, added the meatballs, white beans (reserving a little on the side). I poured about 2 cans of low sodium chicken broth and some water over it all, then added Italian seasonings, a drizzle of olive oil, covered it and let it cook until the beans were tender. Towards the end, I threw in handfull of grated parmesan cheese and pureed the remaining beans with a little olive oil. I added that to give it some body, and it turned out great. My husband's coming home tonight from a business trip, and we're having the soup with sandwiches.:lips:

And somebody is going to be appreciated for all the hard work! The soup sounds luscious. Let us know how it goes over.

Mezzaluna