Ingredients
3/4
pound lean ground beef
1
1/3 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2
cup fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless French bread
1/2
tsp ground black pepper
7
1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth, divided
2
large celery stalks with tops, chopped
1/2
cup farfallini or orzo
1
small head of escarole, coarsely torn
Directions
1.
Blend beef, 1/3 cup cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. Using moistened hands, shape meat mixture into 3/4-inch meatballs. Heat 1 1/2 cups broth and oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and simmer until firm enough to hold shape, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to bowl. Boil broth until reduced to glaze, about 6 minutes. Add celery and onion to pot. Stir until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 6 cups broth, pasta, and meatballs with any juices. Reduce heat. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Add escarole and simmer until wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Serve with remaining 1 cup cheese.
2.
Test-kitchen tip: For fresh breadcrumbs, grind chunks of crustless French bread in the processor to coarse crumbs.
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