Peas and Meatballs Soup

 Looking for a hearty soup to warm you up on a chilly day? This tomato-based peas and meatball soup perfectly fits a cold day.

My cousin Jimmy and his wife Carmie are just as passionate about preserving old family recipes as I am.

My cousin sent me this recipe about a year ago, and honestly, I wasn't that impressed. But Jimmy was persistent and insisted that we try this soup. We finally gave in and gave this recipe a try, and we're so glad we did. 

It was so good especially served it with fresh Italian bread. This recipe makes a large enough pot of delicious soup to have leftovers for another day.

We come from an Italian family and have many favorite recipes from our parents and grandparents. I never remembered this soup from our family, but this is a recipe that Carmie grew up with. Carmie's mother Anne made this soup and Carmie carries on the family tradition of peas and meatballs soup.

Ingredients for Meatballs:

• 1 lb. of ground beef
• 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs (moistened with water or milk to form a paste)
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon of oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon of basil
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup oil for frying

Ingredients for Soup:

• 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 2 (15-ounce) cand of regular sweet peas undrained
• 4 cups of water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Moisten the bread crumbs then add to ground meat. Add the egg and mix well.
2. Add the remaining seasonings (except the oil) and mix thoroughly.
3. Form miniature meatballs (as for wedding soup) about the size of a marble.
4. Fry the meatballs in the oil until they are brown and cooked through.
5. In a large saucepan place the the meatballs with the oil they were cooked in and all other ingredients.
6. Bring to a full boil, then reduce the heat to a slow simmer and cook until the sauce thickens. (About 1 and a half to 2 hours)
7. Serve with fresh Italian bread.

The photo above shows the size of the meatballs. You could make them a little smaller than this. You can also bake the meatballs in the oven, but you won't get the added flavor from frying them in the soup.

More recipes on my blog from my cousins Jimmy and Carmie:

Canning and Preserving EggplantsHow to Make Roasted Red Peppers