Minestrone con Polpettine di Pollo

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare all the vegetables first so the cooking moves quickly: finely dice the onion, carrot, celery, and zucchini; slice the garlic; chop the parsley; grate the parmesan. Bring the stock to a simmer in a separate saucepan or microwave so it does not cool the soup pot when added.

   80 g onion, finely diced100 g carrot, diced small100 g celery stalks, diced small150 g zucchini, diced small1 clove garlic, sliced10 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped5 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped20 g parmesan, finely grated20 g parmesan, finely grated900 ml vegetable or light chicken stock
2. 2

   Make the meatball mixture: in a bowl combine the chicken mince, parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, chopped parsley, grated garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix just until cohesive; overmixing makes the meatballs firm. With damp hands, shape into very small meatballs about 2 cm wide; you should get around 14 to 16 polpettine.

   200 g chicken mince20 g parmesan, finely grated20 g breadcrumbs1 small egg10 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped1 clove garlic, finely grated2 g fine salt1 g black pepper
3. 3

   Heat the olive oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery with a small pinch of the soup salt and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly sweet but not browned; this soffritto builds the base flavor. Add the zucchini and sliced garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.

   20 ml olive oil80 g onion, finely diced100 g carrot, diced small100 g celery stalks, diced small4 g fine salt150 g zucchini, diced small1 clove garlic, sliced
4. 4

   Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to caramelize slightly. Add the chopped tomatoes, hot stock, bay leaf, remaining soup salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower to a steady simmer for 5 minutes so the vegetables begin to soften and the broth tastes integrated.

   15 g tomato paste200 g chopped tomatoes900 ml vegetable or light chicken stock1 bay leaf4 g fine salt1 g black pepper
5. 5

   Drop the meatballs one by one into the gently simmering soup. Do not stir for the first 2 minutes or they may break before setting. Simmer for 5 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice instead of stirring hard, until the meatballs turn opaque and feel firm.

6. 6

   Add the cannellini beans and pasta. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and the meatballs are fully cooked through; cut one open if needed to check that the centre is no longer pink. If the soup thickens too much, loosen with a splash of hot water.

   240 g cannellini beans, drained80 g small pasta (ditalini or tubetti)
7. 7

   Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Ladle into warm bowls and finish each portion with grated parmesan, chopped parsley, and a little extra virgin olive oil for aroma.

   1 bay leaf20 g parmesan, finely grated5 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped10 ml extra virgin olive oil

Origin & History

Minestrone is a classic Italian household soup whose ingredients vary by region, season, and family tradition, but it is always built around vegetables and pulses. Adding small meatballs reflects the cucina casalinga style of enriching simple soups with a little meat, stretching ingredients while making the meal more substantial.