Escarole Soup with Turkey Meatballs

I have a cold. Not to whine, but it's kind of annoying having a runny nose, mild headaches, and that telltale "sick" voice. Fortunately, it is also a good reason to make soup. Lucky me, I just happened to have a head of escarole, leftover plain pasta, and ground turkey sitting around.

makes 2 servings

1 Tbsp olive oil
crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1 small head of escarole, washed and cut crosswise into strips
1 clove garlic
a few tablespoons of fresh herbs (I used parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme... thanks, Simon & Garfunkel)
3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

For the meatballs (makes two batches... freeze the other half, or use them in sandwiches or with pasta):

1 lb ground turkey
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
a few pepper mill grinds of pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 Tbsp chopped parsley and/or other herbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 lb small pasta, cooked (such as macaroni, oreichette, small shells, or orzo)

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a pot over medium low heat. Add red pepper flakes, onions, carrots, and salt. Cook for a few minutes, until onion is translucent. Add escarole, garlic, and herbs. Cook for a few minutes more, until escarole is wilted. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low.

To make the meatballs, combine everything in that second group of ingredients with a fork. Form 1 1/2-inch meatballs (this recipe makes about 20). Heat some olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add meatballs and brown for about 3-4 minutes, on each side. Add half to soup, and let simmer for 5 minutes or so. Add salt and pepper to taste, and a squeeze of lemon juice if you have some.

Serve by ladling soup over cooked pasta. I like to keep the pasta and soup separate so that the pasta doesn't overcook.