Tiny Meatballs and Pastina en Brodo

Yields 3-4 servings

This soup was inspired by the classic Italian Christmas dish, tortellini en brodo, where tiny pockets of meat float in a rich, flavorful broth. Although quite simple, it feels very soothing and comforting. We took a pretty drastic spin on this dish, however, keeping the elements similar. Instead of tortellini, we made tiny meatballs with pastina. We also used our Pho Broth Concentrate for the soup, so it had a little Vietnamese flare. The meatballs are flavored with fresh lemongrass, green onion, and fish sauce, complementing the broth nicely.

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Assembly

Step 1
In a medium bowl, mix together ground meat, green onion, garlic, lemongrass, fish sauce, sugar, and a pinch of salt and white pepper (see note) until well-combined and the meat feels tacky.

Step 2
Lightly oil a tray or dish. Prepare a bowl with water in it, to dip your hands. Before shaping each meatball, dip your hands into the bowl of water. Pinch off a small amount of the meat mixture (about a heaping teaspoon), and roughly shape into a ball shape with your finger tips. Place onto the prepared tray/dish about 1 cm apart.

Step 3
Place the shaped meatballs into the freezer for about 5-10 minutes to firm up before cooking them. Do not fully freeze.

Step 4
Heat a medium pot and add oil. Sear the meatballs, carefully rotating to sear the entire surface. Add water and Pho Broth Concentrate. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, skimming foam off the surface as needed.

Step 5
Add pastina and stir. Simmer until pastina is tender and meatballs are cooked through.

Step 6
Serve with a squeeze of lime and some fresh green onion on top.

Note:
You won’t need too much salt for the meatballs, since there is fish sauce in the mixture. Fry up a small patty first to see how much more salt you need to add.

Ingredients

1 lb Ground chicken or pork

¼ cup Green onion, finely chopped (plus extra for garnish)

1 large clove Garlic, grated

1 tbsp Lemongrass, finely chopped or paste

2.5 tsp Fish sauce

1.5 tbsp Sugar

5 tbsp Pho Broth Concentrate

5 cups Water

1 cup Pastina

Salt and white pepper, to taste

Lime (garnish)

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