Meatball and Broccoli Rabe Stoup

I made this a few weeks ago. It was really good. I used beef instead of veal and bow tie pasta instead of orecchiette. I thought it was a little too thick, so next time I will add more liquid and I think I will cook the pasta and set it aside and put it in at the last minute to keep it al dente.

Veal Meatball and Broccoli Rabe Stoup

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds broccoli rabe, 1 large bunch, trimmed and cut into large bite-sized pieces
• Salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, 1 minced, 3 chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 can white beans, cannellini
• Black pepper
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 2 cups beef or vegetable stock
• 1/3 pound orecchiette, little ear shaped pasta, or ditalini
• 1 pound ground veal
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano, a generous handful, plus some to pass at table
• 2 to 3 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
• Crusty bread, for mopping

Directions

Bring a couple of inches of water to a boil in a medium skillet. Add salt to boiling water and the broccoli rabe and cook 7 to 8 minutes. Drain rabe and reserve.

While rabe cooks, heat a medium soup pot over medium to medium high heat with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Add 3 cloves chopped garlic, carrots and onions. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, add white beans and heat through, a minute. Season veggies and beans with salt and pepper. Add drained rabe and the stocks and cover pot to bring to a quick boil. Add orecchiette and stir. Reduce heat and simmer soup to a low-roll, uncovered.

Mix veal with egg, remaining clove minced garlic, bread crumbs, cheese, sage and salt and pepper. Roll into 1-inch balls and drop into stoup. Cook 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve stoup in shallow bowls with crusty bread.