There’s a chill in the air, and with cold weather comes the need for some warm indulgence.
Every weekend, Ruggero’s in Wading River offers Italian wedding soup as a special. The recipe was inspired by executive chef Carlos Cortes’ grandmother.
“The soup has been a staple in my family for more than 50 years,” said Cotes. “My grandmother used to make the soup ‘minestra maritata’ every week. [It’s] a tradition in the Italian family, using all the best pasta, meatballs and ingredients. When translated, “married soup” is marriage of ingredients with meat, pasta and vegetables.”
Check out the recipe below, and head to Ruggero’s at the Shoppes at East Wind in Wading River on weekends to try it out.
Chef Carlos Cortes’ Italian Wedding Soup
Serves 2 people
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb beef
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 oz bread crumbs
- 2 oz Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Soup stock
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 6 oz carrots
- 6 oz zucchini
- 32 oz chicken broth
- 8 oz spinach
- 1 cup pastina
Directions
Meatballs
- Roll into small 1-inch balls
- Bake in 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes
Soup
- Add stock ingredients
- Add meatballs
- Cook for 30 minutes on reduced heat
- Flavor to preference adding crushed red pepper, salt and pepper to taste
