Zuppa di Cardone e Polpettini: Artichoke Stalk Soup with Small Meatballs
Anna makes this dish when artichokes are in season.
Preparing the Stems:
Clean, peel and trim the artichoke stalks, slice them lengthwise one centimeter thick, and then chop into bite size pieces. You can also use tinned, if they are available.
Boil a broth from stew meat or poultry, potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, and black peppercorns in a large pot with several liters of water, The broth can be made in advance.
Ingredients for the meatballs:
500 g double ground beef
1/2 dl breadcrumbs
1/2 dl grated parmigiano cheese
A small clove of garlic, finely chopped
Chopped parsley
2 medium eggs
1/2 dl milk
Procedure:
Let the breadcrumbs swell in the milk.
Mix salt, pepper, parmesan, parsley and egg thoroughly with the chopped meat.
Form into centimeter sized meat balls. Lightly fry them in oil until golden in color and set them aside.
For the Soup:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Chop the artichoke stems, drain them well and add them to the boiling water. Cook them for 20-25 minutes or more until fork tender (less if you use tinned). They should be soft but firm. Drain and set aside.
In another pot add the homemade stock and the cooked meatballs.
Let this simmer on medium heat for about 5 or 6 minutes and add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately. Top with chopped fresh parsley and grated parmigiano cheese