The pasta in broth with meatballs or pasta paddunedda is a recipe linked to my childhood: my grandmother’s pasta with meatballs in broth, originally from Modica.
In grandmother’s recipe:
• the pasta is homemade egg pasta in the shape of tagliolini or quadrucci;
• the broth is made of meat, particularly chicken;
• paddunedda or meatballs are made of veal.
I prepared a quick and light vegetable broth in which I cooked paddunedda or eggless meatballs made with chosen minced meat, mixed beef and pork, first cut lean [for even leaner meatballs, you can use minced white meat like chicken or turkey, preferably breast].
Small pasta with vegetable broth and meatballs
For brothy first courses, to avoid glycemic spikes, it is advisable to cook the pasta separately, rinse it, and then add it to the brothy sauce prepared separately; this way, the starch released by the pasta in the cooking water is eliminated.
The pasta in broth with meatballs is a one-dish meal as it combines the characteristics of a balanced meal into one course.
Adjust the meat quantities according to those indicated in your dietary plan.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 4.2 oz whole wheat stelline
- 1 onion (or shallot)
- as needed celery (stems and leaves)
- 4 parsley stems
- 1.7 cups water (or more)
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube
- 1 pinch salt
- 8.5 oz mixed minced beef and pork (first cut lean)
- 1 tbsp whole wheat breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp grated cheese (grana or parmesan)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch mixed pepper grains (with grinder)
- as needed chopped parsley
- 1 pinch mixed pepper grains
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil (raw)
- as needed grated Ragusano cheese
Suggested Tools
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Saucepan with lid preferably glass
- 1 Bowl
- Measuring Spoons measuring
Preparation
Grandmother used to make homemade egg pasta in the form of tagliolini or quadrucci.
If you wish to make homemade fresh pasta follow the procedure described for homemade whole wheat pasta without eggs.Otherwise, choose a shape of whole wheat semolina pasta for soup or minestrina.
Clean and wash the vegetables thoroughly:
• onion or shallot;
• celery stems and leaves;
• parsley stems.
You can add the vegetables chopped into large pieces or finely, according to taste and need.In a saucepan, pour 1.7 cups of water or more and add:
• onion or shallot;
• celery;
• parsley stems;
• a vegetable bouillon cube [optional];
and a pinch of salt.
Cover with a lid, preferably glass, bring to a boil, and let cook for 10 minutes.Or simply make the vegetable broth by dissolving a vegetable bouillon cube in 1.7 cups of hot salted water or more.
In a bowl, pour:
• the minced meat;
• the whole wheat breadcrumbs [one 15 g spoon or 1 heaped tablespoon];
• the grated cheese [one 15 g spoon or 1 heaped tablespoon];
• a pinch of salt;
• a pinch of pepper;
• chopped parsley if desired;
and mix the ingredients.Form small balls, compact them by rolling them between the palms of your hands, and place them on a plate or cutting board or tray.
To get as equal meatballs as possible, I use a 2.5 g measuring spoon.Cooking in broth: about 10 minutes.
Bring the vegetable broth back to a boil.
Gently pour the meatballs into the vegetable broth; they should cook for about 10 minutes.In another pot, cook the pasta and drain it.
For brothy first courses, to avoid glycemic spikes, it is advisable to cook the pasta separately, rinse it, and then add it to the brothy sauce prepared separately; this way, the starch released by the pasta in the cooking water is eliminated.Pour the pasta into the pot with vegetable broth and meatballs.
Plate the dish.
Grind some pepper and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
If desired, finish with a sprinkle of grated Ragusano cheese.Your pasta in broth with meatballs or “pasta paddunedda” is ready.
Enjoy your meal!
Traditions
At my great-grandmother’s and grandmother’s house, the “pasta paddunedda” was the Sunday and festive recipe.
I remember that preparing this dish was a great joy for my cousin and me for two reasons: my grandmother made homemade pasta and never failed to give us our little dough ball to mold and stick everywhere [… how patient she was] and then there were the paddunedda, the meatballs, to make, and that was our responsibility as children.
From Modica to Ragusa
Another tradition at grandmother’s house was to prepare “iaddina co cinu” meaning stuffed chicken in broth, a typical dish of the August 29th lunch in celebration of Saint John the Baptist.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Diabetes, which broth?
The vegetable broth or vegetable soup is fat-free and thus ideal for those following a low-calorie diet and in case of hyperglycemia, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes.
Meat-based broth
If you want a meat broth, use lean meat and cook it with many vegetables, then let it cool and skim it before consuming:
• boiled meat how to prepare a light and digestible meat broth.
