Classic Italian Wedding Soup in Italian Herb & Asiago Beer Bread Bowls

It’s a lovely day for a fresh spring soup! How are your first days of spring going? It’s been a lovely little change here, though I think it is mostly a state of mind. I am looking daily for little changes here on the farm.

Today I am sharing a Classic Italian Wedding Soup paired with a cheesy herb beer bread recipe. The bread is baked in the 2-in-1 Better Baker Edible Food Bowl and Muffin Maker, which gives it a really fun presentation!

This pan can be used to make bread bowls, cookie or brownie bowls, and it can be reversed to bake little muffins on the opposite side. Cute!

This pan is great if you want perfectly uniform baked goods shaped into a bowl. There is even a little cookbook included to help you get ideas for what to make with this pan.

the method:

To make these bread bowls is fairly simple. Beer bread is a quick style bread, meaning there is no yeast involved and is leavened by baking powder. This is a rather quick turnaround for bread. Most yeasted breads take around 2 hours or more from start to finish.

Somewhat like making a muffin batter, the dough is mixed up in one bowl and then spread into the baking pan. For the Better Baker pan, you will want to make sure that the dough is pressed well into the bottom of the pan. Otherwise, this bread can be baked in a 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13-cm) loaf pan, as normal, and served sliced alongside your soup.

For the soup, you will be making two separate parts: the meatballs and the soup.

The meatballs are partially cooked over the stovetop, then finished cooking while simmering in the soup. This makes for a bit of an easier clean up!

This soup is just lovely for something light yet hearty on a chilly spring day. I love the combination of Italian flavored meatballs, delicious broth, and spinach. It’s just perfect!

Wishing you all a wonderful day.

xoxo Kayla

Italian Herb & Asiago Beer Bread Bowls

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Yield: 2

Author: Kayla Lobermeier

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 55 MinTotal time: 1 H & 25 M

Ingredients

• 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 4 1/2 tsp (22 g) baking powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried chives
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• 12 oz (180 ml) light beer
• 1/2 cup (57 g) asiago cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) melted salted butter, slightly cooled

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F (191° C). Grease and lightly flour the 2-in-1 Better Bake Edible Food Bowl and Muffin Maker or grease a 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13-cm) loaf pan. Set this aside while you make the bread.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, oregano, parsley, chives, and salt.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Crack the egg in the well, then add the beer, asiago cheese, and melted butter. Whisk the bread together with a bread whisk or wooden spoon until it forms a somewhat dry, shaggy dough. Knead the bread together with your hands until it is no longer dry, about 3-4 minutes.
4. If using the food bowl pan, divide the dough into 2 equal-sized pieces. Press them into the pan, making sure they are spread evenly on the bottom and only until they reach the fill line. Alternately, spread the bread dough into the loaf pan.
5. Bake the bread for 45-55 minutes or until it is golden brown and cooked through the middle. Let the bread cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from the pan.

Classic Italian Wedding Soup

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Yield: 6

Author: Kayla Lobermeier

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

Italian Beef Meatballs:

• 1 lb (454 g) ground beef
• 1/2 cup (54 g) breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup (15 g) fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup (25 g) parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil

Italian Wedding Soup:

• 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp fennel seed
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 6 cups (1.5 L) chicken broth or stock
• 1 cup (170 g) orzo
• 1 cup (30 g) baby spinach, packed

Instructions

To prepare the meatballs:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, parsley, parmesan cheese, egg, salt, and pepper. Stir with a wooden spoon, or rather mix well with your hands, until the mixture is uniform and well seasoned. This will take about 5 minutes.
2. Form the meat mixture into small meatballs, about 2 teaspoons (x g) in size. Place the meatballs on a large plate.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook about 1/3 of the meatballs at a time, browning on all sides, and cooking them for about 6-8 minutes. Transfer the partially cooked meatballs to a plate and cook the remaining meatballs. Set the plate aside while you prepare the soup.

To prepare the soup:

1. In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
2. Cook the onion until it turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook another 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the carrots and celery, cooking for another 4-5 minutes or until they are slightly softened.
3. Season all of the vegetables with the parsley, oregano, basil, fennel, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat everything well.
4. Next, pour in the chicken broth. Bring the broth to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Stir in the orzo and the meatballs. Simmer the soup for about 15-20 minutes or until the meatballs are fully cooked and the orzo is soft. During the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking, stir in the spinach to wilt it.
5. Serve the soup hot in the bread bowls or alongside a slice of the beer bread.

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