You have all seen those large, wax-coated provolone cheeses hanging like oversized pears in Italian groceries. When the same cheese is made into smaller shapes, which are hung to dry only briefly, they are sold as a softer, milder cheese known as provola. The wonderful soft texture of the cheese is perfect for this reinforced soup. If you cannot find provola, substitute a young soft cheese like Fontina or fresh Pecorino. You can use fresh mozzarella, but it will be very stringy when ladling and eating the soup. Boiling the meatballs before adding them to the soup may seem a little odd, but it removes some of the raw-meat flavor and helps keep the clear flavors of the soup intact.

　　

Ingredients

makes 6 servings

　　8 cups Chicken Stock (page 74)

　　2 bone-in chicken-breast halves or chicken legs

　　1 pound ground beef

　　1/3 cup fine, dry bread crumbs

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

　　3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

　　1 large egg

　　3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning the soup

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning the soup

　　3 cups shredded (1/2-inch) escarole leaves

　　3 cups shredded (1/2-inch) curly chicory leaves

　　4 cups shredded (1/2-inch) fresh spinach leaves

　　1/2 pound provola or other soft cheese, rind removed if necessary, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 generous cup)

　　

Step 1

Prepare the Chicken Stock as described on page 74, adding the chicken breasts or legs along with the vegetables. Remove the chicken breasts or legs from the stock after 1 hour of cooking and let them stand at room temperature until cool enough to handle. Discard the skin and pick the meat off the bone, shredding it coarsely and discarding little bones and cartilage as you do. Return the bones to the stock.

　　

Step 2

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Crumble the ground beef into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the bread crumbs, parsley, and grated cheese over it. Beat the egg with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until blended, and pour over the beef. Mix thoroughly with clean hands until evenly blended. Roll a heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture between your palms to form a 1-inch ball. Repeat with the remaining meatball mix. Carefully slip the meatballs into the boiling water and cook 2 minutes. Remove the meatballs with a wire skimmer or slotted spoon and drain thoroughly. (The meatball mixture can be prepared and the meatballs formed up to several hours in advance, but keep them refrigerated, and don’t poach them until just before serving the soup.)

　　

Step 3

Ladle 8 cups of the chicken stock through a fine sieve into a 4-quart pot. Bring to a simmer. Stir in the escarole and chicory and simmer 5 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Stir the reserved shredded chicken into the pot. Stir in the poached meatballs and spinach, return to the simmer, and cook until the meatballs are cooked through and all the greens are tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and stir in the provola. Ladle immediately into warmed soup bowls.

　　From Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Copyright © 2001 by A La Carte Communications and Tutti a Tavola, LLC. Published by arrangement with Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.Buy the full book from Amazon.