Mini Meatball Minestra And Grilled Provolone Recipes

MINESTRA

Steps:

• In a deep, large, heavy pot over moderate heat, saute garlic and pancetta in extra-virgin olive oil for 3 minutes. Add onions and cook 1 or 2 minutes longer.
• Add the greens and wilt them down to fit them all in the pot. Add beans, broth, and nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook over moderate to medium-high heat for 12 minutes, or until greens are no longer bitter. Serve with shaved cheese, bread, and good red wine.

MINI MEATBALL MINESTRA (RACHAEL RAY)

Steps:

• In a heavy bottomed soup pot heat olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onions and 2 cloves of garlic and saute 4 to 5 minutes then add the escarole and wilt. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in beans, add stock and water and bring to boil.
• While stock comes to a boil, combine meat, egg, bread crumbs, milk, a handful of cheese, fennel, allspice, parsley, salt and pepper. Combine and roll into 1-inch balls, and add to the soup. Cook 2 minutes then add in pasta and cook 6 minutes more. Turn off the heat, garnish with lemon zest and serve with cheese passed at the table.

MINI SAUSAGE MEATBALL MINESTRA

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Roll the sausage into walnut-sized meatballs. Drop them into the skillet and brown on all sides, then remove them to a plate.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, then add the escarole and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, to taste. Cook until the escarole has wilted. Add the beans and cook until heated through. Stir in the stock and bring to a boil, then add the pasta and cook to al dente.
• Return the meatballs back to the pot for the last 4 minutes of cooking. Adjust the seasonings and ladle into serving bowls. Heavily sprinkle each serving with cheese and serve with crusty bread for mopping.

MINI MEATBALL MINESTRONE

Steps:

• To prepare the meatballs:
• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and roll into 1/2 inch meatballs.
• Place on a cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes or until brown.
• To prepare soup (while meatballs are cooking):.
• Heat oil in a large stockpot. Saute the onions until softened and lightly brown, about 4 minutes.
• Add garlic and saute 2 minutes longer.
• Add stock, juice, green beans, carrots, kidney beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.
• Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer on medium low for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add meatballs.
• Add pasta, cover pot, and cook about 10 minutes longer.

MINI MEATBALL CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler with a rack in the middle position. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. Add the shallot, a small pinch of salt and a splash of water and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool slightly.
• Pour the buttermilk over the stale bread in a large bowl and let sit at room temperature until the bread soaks up most of the buttermilk, about 5 minutes. Lightly squeeze the excess buttermilk from the bread; discard the buttermilk but keep the bread in the bowl. Add the egg, parmesan, parsley, cooled cooked shallots and 1 teaspoon salt to the bowl with the bread. Use your hands to stir the bread mixture together until it is well combined with no large pieces of bread. Add the ground beef and sausage and gently mix all the ingredients with your hands until just combined. (Do not overwork the mixture or the meatballs will be tough.) Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop or 2 leveled tablespoons as a measurement, scoop and form 24 meatballs and transfer to a baking sheet.
• Broil the meatballs until they are browned all over, 4 to 8 minutes, depending on your broiler. Lower the heat of the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, pour the tomato sauce into a medium saucepan and bring to a low simmer over medium heat. Gently nestle the browned meatballs in the sauce, cover and cook until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat but keep the meatballs covered to stay warm while you make the crostini.
• Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Lightly brush the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil on both sides of the bread slices. Bake until light golden brown around the edges and crispy throughout, 12 to 15 minutes, turning the bread slices halfway through the baking time.
• To serve, smear each crostini with a bit of the warm tomato sauce, then top with a meatball and basil.