meatball soup -- this time with "real" meatballs

The temperature has ventured slightly below 60 degrees in charleston, which obviously demands a turtleneck sweater, slippers, a log in the fireplace and of course a rustic bowl of comfort soup. I'm not even joking (my blood has thinned since my migration to the south)! This time we even used "real" meatballs (as ryan likes to refer to them) and none of the chicken/turkey stuff (mainly cuz we made this right after thanksgiving and the thought of anymore poultry wasn't very appealing)! This recipe is an adaptation from a recipe that we saw Emeril pull together. BAM!

Soup base

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

1/2 C chopped yellow onion

1/4 C chopped celery

2 cloves garlic, chopped

32 oz can whole tomatoes, crushed with your hands, with their juice

2 Tbs tomato paste

32 oz beef broth

1/4 tsp italian seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 C small pasta shape (ditialini, orrechettie, macaroni)

3 C baby spinach leaves

2 Tbs chopped fresh basil

finely grated Romano or Parmesan cheese for garnish

Meatballs

3/4 lb ground beef

1/4 lb ground pork

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 C finely grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp italian seasoning

1/4 C italian-style bread crumbs

Place a soup pot over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and heat. Add the chopped onion and celery to the pot and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables are soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes and their juices, beef broth, tomato paste, 1/4 teaspoon of Italian Essence, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and stir to combine. Bring to a low simmer and simmer for 15 minutes.

While the broth simmers, make the meatballs. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, eggs, 1/3 cup Parmesan, bread crumbs, 3/4 teaspoon of the Italian Essence, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and, using clean hands, mix until thoroughly combined.

Divide meat into tablespoons and roll into smooth balls with your hands. Set the rolled meatballs aside on a plate or other flat surface. Wash your hands.

Carefully add the meatballs to the simmering broth. Gently stir, so as not to break up the meatballs Add the remaining 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.

Add the pasta and spinach to the hot soup, stir well, and cook for 15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked through. Stir in the chopped basil and serve the soup in wide bowls, garnished with additional grated Parmesan, if desired.