Escarole Soup With Tortellini Recipes

Steps:

• About 50 minutes before serving: Cut escarole into 2" pieces, discarding any tough ribs.
• Peel, seed, and dice tomatoes.
• Thinly slice carrots, chop onions.
• In 5 quart dutch oven over medium high heat, in hot oil, cook carrots and onion until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Add escarole and tomatoes and cook, stirring until vegetables are tender.
• Stir in chicken broth, beef-flavor bouillon, pepper and 5 cups water; over high heat, heat to boiling.
• Add tortellini and cook 5 minutes longer or until tortellini are tender.
• **NOTE: I also added 2 Tbsp soy sauce which helped to enhance the flavor of the broth.

Steps:

• Trim the escarole and discard any bruised leaves. Cut off the stem ends. Separate the leaves and wash well in cool water, especially the center of the leaves where soil collects. Stack the leaves and cut them crosswise into 1-inch strips. You should have about 4 cups.
• Combine the escarole, carrots, and stock in a large pot. Bring to a simmer and cook until the escarole is almost tender, about 30 minutes.
• To make the meatballs
• Meanwhile, combine the ground meat, bread crumbs, cheese, onion, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Shape the mixture into tiny balls, less than 1 inch in diameter.
• To assemble
• When the escarole is almost tender, stir in the pasta and return the soup to the simmer. Drop the meatballs into the soup. Cook over low heat, stirring gently, until the meatballs and pasta are cooked, about 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Serve hot with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.