Italian Wedding Soup

November 09, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Each week I follow along with Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa) and attempt to recreate one of her dishes in my tiny New York City kitchen. The catch? This is my version of cooking school and I’m making these recipes for the first time. I’ll share both my successes and um, challenges, along the way and we’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Food with Love”

The Set-up: Ina and Jeffrey are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary with a special dinner and a trip down memory lane.

The Menu: Italian Wedding Soup, Brownie Pudding, Campari Orange Spritzer

0:42 – Ina is full of plans for her 40th wedding anniversary with Jeffrey, who true to form is stuck at work so it’s up to Ina to get the preparations under way.

1:18 – First up: Brownie Pudding. Brownies have a special place in the Garten relationship since Ina used to send them to Jeffrey at college.

2:33 – The recipe comes from Ina’s friend Anna Pump who owns a store called Loaves and Fishes, and wrote a cookbook, which I will now add to my Christmas list…

3:25 – Pro Tip #1: a tablespoon of framboise in the pudding mixture will add a subtle depth of unexpected flavor.

4:12 – Ina has apparently been getting some flack for her butter usage, but she is firmly pro-butter maintaining that “anyone who tries to make brownies without butter should be arrested!”

5:40 – Interesting, this is a pudding baked in a water bath so that it cooks very slowly and Ina says it can be made ahead of time.

6:06 – Oooh, Jeffrey has claimed he has to work but it’s all a cover for a romantic mission to locate a tent similar to the one they had on their camping trip through France. That is 1,000 brownie points (pun intended) in the making!

7:19 – We’re back with Ina as she talks us through the different liqueurs she uses in cooking and baking – framboise, coffee, cognac, it’s all quite boozy.

9:37 – On to the Italian Wedding Soup which Ina is making with chicken instead of beef or another red meat.

10:28 – A fun fact and Pro Tip #2: Using fresh bread crumbs will make the meatballs softer than dry bread crumbs.

11:51 – Ina is seasoning the meatballs with parsley, garlic and a combination of both parmesan and pecorino cheese. I’m surprised that she’s not doing her usual technique of grinding the cheese in the food processor.

12:14 – Can I just say how excited I am that these meatballs are baked not cooked in oil on the stovetop?!

13:39 – A quick check in with Jeffrey as he seeks out the tent. Alas, it won’t be very much like the original orange pup tent, but he’s assured by the proprietor that even a child could set it up. Sold.

14:43 – Moving on with the Italian Wedding Soup, it’s time to prep the vegetables to season the stock. Ina says as she chops that she doesn’t know the secret to a good marriage – she and Jeffrey just want each other to be happy. Simple.

18:56 – Vegetables are softened and now it’s time to add the chicken stock and a little white wine.

19:32 – A few more words of reflection from Ina – she says Jeffrey is the smartest person she knows, but that she balances him out by being “the practical one.”

20:07 – Well, now the absent minded professor is out in the backyard with the tent. Here goes nothing… He’s doing an excellent job of getting tangled up in the nylon shell. It’s close enough and that he better get back to his desk before Ina checks on him.

21:25 – Now for some cocktails. Campari Orange Spritzer with fresh orange juice and bitter liquor. Ina is going to bring one to Jeffrey and I bet after his struggles with the tent he could use a drink…

22:40 – He makes it just in time, she comes in the library just as he sits down at his desk. A split second later and he’d be caught!

23:58 – With the cocktails is a DVD trip down memory lane compliments of the production team splicing together some I+J greatest hits from past shows. They are just so darn cute!

26:16 – Back to put the finishing touches on the Italian Wedding Soup, meatballs are in, now some fresh herbs.

27:21 – I love with idea of wilting baby spinach into the soup at the last minute, I bet that tastes really fresh and wonderful. Ina isn’t kidding about this being a soup worthy of the main course.

28:35 – Ina says making Italian Wedding Soup is “corny,” but I think it’s so sweet. Embrace the corn! Brownie Pudding with ice cream is next and Jeffrey suggests having dessert outside… It’s surprise time….

29:48 – Ina can’t believe that Jeffrey put the tent together and they decide they should climb in and have dessert there. So much giggling and then the clincher: “If this tent be a rocking, don’t come a knocking.”

Final Thoughts:
I should try Campari sometime, it seems like it would be right up my alley.

I love Ina’s take on Italian Wedding Soup – it seems simultaneously more satisfying and lighter than the traditional version.

Oh Ina and Jeffrey, the two of them are just too much!

Lessons Learned:
I’ve made meatballs and I’ve made chicken soup, but never together and I was really curious to see how the process would work. Also, Italian Wedding Soup sounded like the perfect weekend dinner, so there’s that. Here’s what I learned…

Meatball Ingredients – I was a little worried about finding both ground chicken and chicken sausage and decided that pork sausage would be my back up plan, but thankfully both seem readily available in my grocery store. Bread crumbs are a different story – some stores sell bags of fresh bread crumbs in the bakery section but if those aren’t available and you don’t have a food processor, then use dried plain crumbs and add a bit more milk, starting with a tablespoon or two.

Meatball Mixing – Like with a cake, I’d recommend mixing the dry ingredients - breadcrumbs, cheese, and seasonings - together before adding the wet ingredients – ground meat, milk, and egg. I find that the mixture comes together more evenly and helps prevent over mixing. A fork is definitely the way to go to keep the meatballs light; a dense meatball is no one’s friend.

Portioning – Forty meatballs in 10 cups of broth, plus vegetables and pasta seemed like a lot especially because pasta tends to absorb a lot of moisture. So, I halved the meatball ingredients, but kept everything else in the recipe as written. When measured with a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop I yielded 24 meatballs which was perfect.

Vegetable Prep – Completely up to your preference, but I cut my vegetables slightly larger than called for in the recipe because I like them to keep their shape and still be firm after cooking. I also sorted through the fresh baby spinach and trimming off any slightly browning or particularly long stems. Much nicer to eat that way!

Pasta – I subbed Ditalini because it was the smallest pasta I could find. The only note here is to make sure to read the package directions for cooking time, especially if you’re using something else.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes and no. It depends on whether you plan to make your own bread crumbs, if so then you’ll also need a mini food processor. At the minimum, I needed a large mixing bowl, two rimmed baking sheets, and a 5.5 qt French oven. I also used a medium cutting board, chef’s knife, tongs, a microplane grater, and a wooden spatula along with measuring cups and parchment paper. A 1 tablespoon cookie scoop isn’t essential, but will make portioning the meatballs much easier.

The Verdict:
Featuring meatballs and pasta I expected Italian Wedding Soup to fall firmly in the category of comfort food, and was surprised to discover that the chicken broth and vegetables actually make this soup quite fresh. The meatballs set the tone balancing depth of flavor from the sausage and cheeses against lean chicken, baking them instead of sautéing in oil – the results are light but satisfying. This soup is also one that can be made in stages as needed. I prepared everything up to the point of cooking the pasta one day, stored the meatballs and soup separately and finished assembling just before we were ready to eat. Perfect.

Spicy Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti

March 18, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Episode: “Baby’s First Bash”

The Set-up: Ina’s close friends, the Libermans, are celebrating their first grandchild!

The Menu: Spicy Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti, Truffled Popcorn, Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, S’mores

0:40 – Ina’s theme for the party is “nursery food” which I guess translates to things that adults and children will like. Interested to see how she makes that work.

1:23 – First up Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp. Ina says that rhubarb has a very short season and I believe it since I think I’ve only tasted it once in my life.

2:15 – Pro Tip #1: Dissolve a little cornstarch in the orange juice before adding it to the fruit filling. The cornstarch will help thicken the fruit “goo” and mixing it ahead will prevent lumps.

3:41 – The party is taking place outside, so Ina has called up the troops – namely her friend Greg Yale, a professional lighting designer – to transform her already magnificent garden into a wonderland. This is one lucky seven week-old baby.

4:08 – We’re back with Ina to make the crumble topping, which she admits is basically the same from recipe to recipe with the usual suspects (butter, flour, brown sugar, oatmeal…)

5:36 – This particular crumble combination - strawberry rhubarb - is in honor of a recipe Ina once made up on the fly for the grandmother of honor. Even the Barefoot Contessa has to wing it from time to time.

9:43 – Time to make the main course: Spicy Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti. Ina emphasizes the need to add moisture, in this case fresh bread crumbs soaked in milk, since they’re made from turkey.

10:35 – We check in with Greg, who is literally up a tree hanging café lights. This is a man who is dedicated to making things “magical.”

11:21 – Ina’s recipe calls for mincing up prosciutto to add flavor to the ground turkey, but to me prosciutto is just sort of salty and not all that flavorful.

12:39 – These meatballs are supposed to be spicy, so in go the red pepper flakes. I wonder if using hot Italian sausage instead of sweet would be too much?

13:14 – Instead of frying/sautéing the meatballs they’re going into the oven to roast, which sounds like a fantastic way to get out of standing over a pot of hot oil. Eww.

14:20 – Meatballs go in the oven as Greg and his team tether huge, helium inflated and presumably illuminated, balloons around the garden. These are going to look awesome.

19:06 – The meatballs are done and beautifully browned, now for a little shortcut: store bought tomato sauce. Glad to see that even Ina sometimes turns to a jar once in a while.

20:25 – Outside with Greg for the big lighting reveal and while I do think it’s a little over the top for six people it also looks really cool.

21:40 – Back inside to pop the bag of popcorn and melt truffle butter for the Truffled Popcorn. Newman’s Own in case you’re wondering. I think it’s the Natural Tender White which I can assure you is really good – not too salty, no strangely yellow butter.

22:33 – Full disclosure: I cannot STAND truffles. Seriously, even a whiff of one in a dish and I’m done. I do like the idea of doing a flavored butter or oil with popcorn though – something to explore perhaps…

23:08 – The Liberman family arrives as Jeffrey pops the cork on some champagne the lights twinkle in the trees. #jealous

26:44 – The spaghetti is done cooking and now it’s time to serve the most enormous bowl covered in sauce and meatballs. Yum!

27:37 – Ina’s whole philosophy of cooking could probably be summed up as “nursery food for adults.” She’s so great at taking comfort food classics and dialing up the sophistication without losing the familiarity. Obviously I’m a fan.

28:11 – Outside with the giant bowl of “meatballs and sketti” and everyone dives in over a beautifully candle-lit table. Next comes the Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp with vanilla ice cream.

29:55 – Finally, the moment we’ve actually been waiting for: making use of the fire pit to light marshmallows on fire for S’mores. Ahh, summer.

Final Thoughts:
Note to self: cook something with rhubarb this summer when it’s in season.

I want to try cooking popcorn in infused oil, maybe rosemary? This bears further trial.

Also, investigate giant inflatable balloon lights and a fire pit…

Lessons Learned:
I’ve cooked meatballs before, actually about a month ago, so trying Spicy Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti was more about trying a different flavor combination and cooking technique.

Meatball Assembly – This mixture was a bit stickier than the original combination and I suspect that’s due to the lack of dry breadcrumbs. I assume they aren’t needed because turkey is so lean and the fresh ones absorb enough of the juices from the sausage. Fluff the mixture together with a fork, or gently fold together with clean hands to keep them from packing too tightly. Portioning to exactly the same size takes a little guess-timation – I find that if I divide the mixture into 4 parts and then try to roll 6 meatballs (for a total of 24) from each quarter it comes out about right. Full disclosure: I ended up with 23 this time, so close enough.

Meatball Cooking – These meatballs are cooked on sheet trays (don’t forget the parchment paper!) in the oven, which is a far simpler technique than cooking them in olive oil on the stove. I put both sheets in at the same time and probably should have switched them halfway through – the bottom ones were a little browner. So, lesson learned!

Final Simmer – I am officially a huge fan of doing this in the oven. It takes the same amount of time and there’s no stress about having to stir or watch the sauce. I just cover and stick the pot in a 350 degree oven where it can pretty much hang out as long as you need it to and then like magic it’s ready whenever the pasta finishes cooking. I’ll also point out that it opens up a burner on the stovetop and the fewer items I have bubbling away there the more in control I feel.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Fairly, it felt more so than the first meatball recipe, but upon reflection it actually requires the same amount of items. Once again, I used my trusty 5.5 qt French oven for sauce and meatball simmering, in addition to a second large pot for the pasta, a colander, medium mixing bowl, two baking sheet (assuming you’re making the full recipe) and medium cutting board. For utensils, a dinner fork, a wooden spatula, a liquid measuring cup & measuring spoons, a microplane grater, and an instant read meat thermometer. I also needed a small food processor to prep the fresh bread crumbs.

The Verdict:
I made Spicy Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti when we were having a group of visiting college students for dinner, and while making meatballs from scratch does take effort I also think it’s kind of the perfect home-cooking meal. I hadn’t fully considered what a treat it might be after months of dining hall food. Based on how many meatballs disappeared it was a popular choice. In this version I used sweet Italian sausage and a classic tomato basil sauce, but even with my relatively low tolerance for heat I’d up the spice-factor and use hot Italian sausage and/or an arrabiata sauce in future iterations.

Real Meatballs and Spaghetti

February 12, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Episode: “Boss for Dinner”

The Set-up: The “top brass” from House Beautiful magazine are coming to Ina’s for dinner, including her “dear friend” and editor in chief, Stephen Drucker.

The Menu: Real Meatballs and Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Ice Cream Sodas

0:38 – Ina says she want’s to “dazzle” her guests, but most of all she wants them to go home saying, “wasn’t that fun?” These are good goals.

1:29 – Contrary to expectations of a fancy dessert, Ina is serving Ice Cream Sodas with chocolate and raspberry sauces.

2:15 – There really is something about childhood desserts – don’t get me wrong I love elegant recipes like crème brulee, but sometimes a brownie sundae just hits the spot.

3:22 – Of course Ina is making her own sauces, no Hershey’s Syrup here!

4:10 – I’m a little surprised that the chocolate sauce uses cocoa powder and not melted bar chocolate. Maybe it would harden?

5:23 – Interesting. I thought the raspberry sauce would include the whole fruit, but instead Ina has pressed the sauce through a sieve to just get the juice.

6:35 – Quick field trip to Villa Italian Specialties in East Hampton to pick up some antipasti for a platter and adhere to Ina’s Rules for Easy Entertaining: never make more than two things. Works for me!

10:47 - The unofficial theme of “Surprise! This Fancy Dinner Isn’t Fancy” continues with the main course - Real Meatballs and Spaghetti.

11:13 – Pro Tip #1: A combination of fresh breadcrumbs and dry breadcrumbs will keep the meatballs tender while also helping them to bind together.

12:06 – Ina has an interesting way of thinking about meatballs – the ingredients fall into two camps: flavoring and binding.

12:52 – Remember when I said I wanted to make Rao’s meatballs? Well, one of Ina’s tricks is from their playbook: warm water!

13:45 – Meatball sautéing montage. What a delicious turn of events…

14:27 – Now onto the tomato sauce montage, which appropriately includes a lot of onion and garlic chopping.

15:33 – Ina’s recipe also calls for red wine, which I’ve seen in things like boeuf bourgignon but not in a pasta sauce.

19:10 – Onward to the Garlic Bread made with fresh oregano and ciabatta!

20:25 – The garlic bread involves an olive oil and herb sauce that almost seems like a really loose pesto, without the parmesan and pine nuts.

21:51 – Ina says that once the bread goes in the oven that the whole house will smell like garlic. Sounds like heaven. Sigh.

22:48 – Out into the garden where Ina is setting the dinner table with a green striped cloth, beautiful bunches of fresh herbs, and white tulips. Again, heaven.

23:20 – Ina leaves the guests speculating on what dinner will be. Their hints are "Italian" and "oregano."

24:49 – Final assembly montage as Ina cooks the pasta, slices the garlic bread, and lifts the lid on a bubbling pan of meatballs and sauce. I am officially hungry.

27:27 – Ina arrives in the backyard with the most enormous footed serving bowl I’ve ever seen full of Real Meatballs and Spaghetti. If these people aren’t excited they must be dead inside.

28:36 – Back inside to set a tray with the ice cream soda makings. Note to self: anything looks elegant in silver bowls and parfait glasses.

29:14 – Guest Barbara goes first and chooses a chocolate soda with espresso ice cream. Well done Barbara, a woman after my own heart!

Final Thoughts:
My fate is sealed. It’s time to make meatballs!

I am absolutely on board with doing simple “home cooking” for important guests – it’s so much more relaxed that way.

At the close of the episode Ina asks for a raise and Stephen tells her she can have a meatball. Which actually sounds like a pretty good deal to me…

Lessons Learned:
It seems like meatballs are every where all of a sudden, so it was time to tackle them for myself. Here's what I learned from Real Meatballs and Spaghetti. Meatball Assembly – I’m a little meh about veal, so I used equal parts ground pork and lean ground beef (90/10). I also didn’t have seasoned dry bread crumbs, so I added 1 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano, and garlic powder to compensate. Other than that I followed the recipe exactly, including the nutmeg. It’s tough to roll them all exactly the same size, but it’s worth it to try. I’d also recommend the “PlayDoh” technique – slightly rounded palms, gentle pressure when forming them.

Meatball Cooking – This is another time to practice your oil heating. Remember that shimmer from the Chicken Piccata recipe? Same deal here – you want the oil good and hot before adding the first batch of meatballs. Resist the urge to crowd the pan – too many meatballs and the oil temperature will drop making them greasy. A baking sheet alternately lined with aluminum foil and paper towels was super helpful during the rolling and sautéing processes.

Sauce Cooking – They say necessity is the mother of invention; well, the timeframe for the final 30 minute cook of the meatballs and sauce coincided with Maddie’s late-afternoon walk. Luckily, or was it by design?, I was using my enameled cast iron French oven. Covered and put in a 350 degree oven it took about 35-40 minutes for the meatballs to braise and cook through – thank you meat thermometer – plenty of time for a spin around the block with the dog. Honestly, with no bubbling, spattering pan on the stove top to worry about I’d do it that way again in a heartbeat.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Fairly, more so than I’d expected. I don’t have a sauté pan large enough for 16 meatballs AND sauce, so I used my trusty 5.5 qt French oven for the meatball sautéing, sauce preparation, and final cook. I also needed a second large pot for the pasta, a colander, medium mixing bowl, a baking sheet (useful during the meatball rolling & sautéing process) and medium cutting board. For utensils, a dinner fork, wooden spatula, two rubber spatulas (gentler than tongs) a liquid measuring cup & measuring spoons, a microplane grater, and an instant read meat thermometer.

The Verdict:
OMG. Real Meatballs and Spaghetti are so, so good. The meatballs are tender and the accompanying sauce has incredible depth thanks to the Chianti. Mike rarely is interested in having the same meal multiple days in a row – but in this case he was more than willing to revisit this dinner. I think it’s because they seem to grow in power – Day 2 and Day 3 might even be better than Day 1. Please set aside a lazy weekend afternoon to make this recipe – you will not be sorry and whoever you choose to share with will be eternally grateful. Trust.