Brothy Meatballs With Greens

Brothy Meatballs With Greens

These meatballs start the way many good ones do, with eggs and panko mixed together first and given a few minutes to sit so the bread crumbs can fully soften. That small step makes all the difference, giving you meatballs that stay light and tender once they hit the pan. After they’ve browned, everything finishes together with broth, greens and fregola, a small toasted Sardinian pasta that turns pleasantly plump as it cooks. The meatballs gently season the broth while the fregola and greens soak it up. A small knob of butter, swirled in toward the end to emulsify the broth, gives the whole pot a little richness. The results land somewhere between soup and pasta, deeply comforting but still light enough that you’ll likely keep wanting another spoonful.

Yield: 4 servings

2 large eggs

½ cup panko bread crumbs

5 garlic cloves (2 finely grated, 3 thinly sliced) 

1 teaspoon fennel seeds 

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 pound ground pork, beef, lamb or turkey 

1½ teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

1 cup fregola or pearl couscous 

1 bunch kale (any variety) or Swiss chard, stems removed, coarsely torn 

3 cups chicken broth or water 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces 

Lemon wedges, for serving

Parmesan, for serving

Crack the eggs in a large bowl and then lightly beat them using a fork. Add the panko, grated garlic, fennel seeds and crushed red pepper, and give it a stir. Let the panko mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the bread crumbs to soak up the eggs. (This will make sure your meatballs stay light.) Add the ground meat, season with salt and use your hands to combine everything together. Using wet hands, roll the mixture into about 12 golfball-size rounds.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the meatballs and cook, carefully turning every 2 to 3 minutes with tongs, until browned and crispy on all sides, about 10 minutes total (the meatballs will cook more later). Transfer to a large plate, leaving all that delicious fat in the pot.

Meanwhile, cook the fregola in a medium pot of salted water until about 2 minutes shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.

Return the pot with the reserved fat to medium heat and add the sliced garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and softened, about 1 minute. Add the greens and stock, then season with salt and bring to a simmer. Return the meatballs to the pot and cook until the greens are tender and the meatballs are cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes.

Add the fregola, butter and ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the fregola is al dente and the sauce comes together, 2 to 3 minutes. Add more pasta water as needed.

Divide among bowls and finish with lemon juice and Parmesan.