Adina Yaakov
Italian Veal Meatball Soup
Growing up, we used to eat at a kosher Italian restaurant on 84th Street called Tevere 84. I always got the Boccette alla Romana soup, among other favorite dishes on the menu. When they closed in 2019, I was a bit disappointed that I couldn’t get the soup anymore. I discovered this recipe by accident, after making a veal roast and realizing the leftover liquid had the same flavor profile as that soup. I added little veal meatballs and egg noodles, and it tasted just like I remembered. I recently discovered that they reopened on Lexington Avenue, and both times we went, you can be sure I got the soup. It isn’t always on the menu, as it’s sometimes a special of the day, so be sure to ask for it by name: Boccette alla Romana, which literally translates to Roman style small meatballs. Hopefully they will always stay open, but just in case, I now have my own version of the recipe.
Soup Ingredients:
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 lb cubed veal shoulder
- 8 cups water
- 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup white wine
- Salt and black pepper
- 6 oz egg noodles
Veal Meatball Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground veal
- 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper
Directions:
1. Sprinkle the cubed veal with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large pot and brown all the veal at once, about 5 minutes per side, until lightly browned all over.
2. Pour in the white wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
3. Add the water, 1 cup parsley, and 4 cloves garlic into the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer 1 hour.
4. In a medium bowl, mix the ground veal with the remaining 1 cup parsley, remaining 4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp salt, and black pepper to taste. Roll into marble size balls and add to the soup. Cover and cook 20 minutes more.
5. Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles in a separate pot according to package instructions.
6. Taste the soup and add more salt if needed.
7. Serve over the cooked egg noodles. Garnish with fresh parsley.