mini meatball soup

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 medium, chopped
• 2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
• salt and pepper
• 1 pound ground beef or turkey
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups dried pasta
• 1 pound fresh spinach, coarsely chopped

Directions

In a deep pot over medium heat add oil, carrots, celery, onions and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cover pot and cook veggies 5 or 6 minutes. Combine meat, egg, garlic, cheese, bread crumbs, salt and pepper, nutmeg. Uncover your soup pot and add broth and water to the pot. Increase heat to high, bring soup to a boil. When soup boils, reduce heat a bit and start to roll meat mixture into small balls, dropping them straight into the pot. Add pasta and stir.

Cover and simmer soup 10 minutes. When pasta is tender stir in chopped spinach in batches.