Meatball Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:
Meatballs:
1 Cup Fresh Breadcrumbs
1/3 Cup Milk
1 Pound Ground Turkey Sausage, Remove Meat From Casings (See Notes Above)
Salt & Pepper
1 Egg
2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Parsley
Soup:
6 Tablespoons Olive Oil, Divided
1 Small Onion, Finely Chopped
3 Medium Carrots, Chopped
2 Celery Stalks, Chopped
1 Medium Zucchini, Chopped
1 (3 Ounce) Can Tomato Paste
1 (15 Ounce Can Chopped Tomatoes)
5 Cups Beef or Chicken Broth
3 Cups Finely Chopped Kale or Swiss Chard
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley Leaves
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
Salt & Pepper To Taste
1 (15 Ounce) Can Pinto or Cannellini Beans, Drained
1 1/2 Cups Small Dried Pasta (I Used Orecchiette)
To Serve:
Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese


Directions:
Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk until soft, then squeeze out most of the milk.
Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl along with the ground meat, salt, pepper, egg, and parsley.
Use your fingers to blend the mixture together.
Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Roll the meat into 1 1/2 inch balls, and drop into the hot frying pan.
Lightly brown the meatballs on all sides, then set aside until needed.
In a large stockpot, heat the remaining oil over medium heat, and cook the onion, carrot, and celery for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the zucchini, tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, and chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer, and add the meatballs, kale, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper.
Cook for 10 minutes until the meatballs have cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Add the pasta and beans, and continue to cook until the pasta is “al dente”.
Serve hot, topped with a sprinkling of grated cheese.