Vegetable Soup With Tiny Meatballs

My Mom used to make this soup for us when we were growing up. It calls for 1/2 cup fine pasta but she always dumped a lot more pasta in than what was called for :) Serve with lots of parmesan cheese, we loved it!

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 5 -6  cups beef broth or 5 -6  cups  beef stock
• 1 (1 lb) can crushed tomatoes
• 3  stalks celery & leaves, chopped
• 1  carrot, finely chopped
• 1  teaspoon oregano
• 1⁄2 cup  fine pasta
• 2  slices  dry bread or 2  slices  toast
•  water
• 1  lb ground beef
• 1  egg, slightly beaten
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 1  teaspoon salt
•  butter
•  grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat beef broth to boiling. Add veggies and oregano and simmer 12 minutes.
2. Add pasta to bubbling soup; cook until pasta is almost done. Drop tiny meatballs into soup; simmer 2 minutes.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve with grated paremsan cheese.
5. Mini meatballs: Soak 2 slices dry bread or toast in water; squeeze out moisture.
6. Lightly mix bread with 1 lb ground beef, egg, garlic and salt.
7. Form in 3/4 inch balls using 1 teaspoon mixture for each.
8. Brown in butter - Makes 5 dozen.