Jim Hillibish: Chase away dreary fall days with meatball soup

It’s fall, and a beautiful thing happens in Italian kitchens. As the sudden chill dissolves our summer, a kettle of meatball soup reminds us that all joy is not lost.

Wedding soup comes to mind, small veal meatballs simmered in a rich chicken broth. Gene Leone improved on this with his beef broth recipe.

It’s an example of how simplicity benefits flavors. The soup is small meatballs, beef broth and acini di pene, the classic, barley-like soup pasta. This is no wimpy appetizer soup. It’s main course all the way.

Serve with a slice of grilled Italian bread plus melted mozzarella for a quintessential fall supper, hearty and easily made. In the tradition of Italian frugality, it makes two suppers for two with 8 ounces of ground beef and 1/3 cup pasta.

This is one to try soon, before the fall blues hit. It makes your sun shine.

Beef Broth with Meatballs

• 6 fresh parsley leaves, diced
• 1 slice day-old bread, ground to crumbs
• 1⁄2 pound ground beef
• 2 whole scallions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon dried basil or oregano
• Salt and pepper
• 8 cups beef broth (canned is OK)
• 1⁄3 cup acini di pene, uncooked

Combine the first nine ingredients, and mix thoroughly. Bring broth to a boil. Form 1-inch meatballs in your hands and drop into the broth. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Add acini di pene, cover and simmer for 10 minutes more or until the pasta is done.

Notes: Some cooks will sprinkle Parmesan cheese on the top of each bowl. Others will broil a slice of mozzarella on the bowls as in French onion soup. If the meatballs are too wet to roll, add more bread crumbs.