Have you ever been invited to an Italian wedding on a whim? An old colleague of mine lives in a beautiful coastal village, just a 20-minute drive from the town with the delicious name of La Spezia. A couple of summers ago, we were travelling around Italy, right in the middle of peach season. I called her to see if we could grab a coffee together. She didn’t have time, though, as she was getting married the next day. And that’s how, at the end of our two-minute conversation, we found ourselves invited to her wedding, which took place in a small village church, followed by a celebration in the orchard with tables of the loveliest food laid out outside. The weather was exactly what you would expect of an Italian summer – it was very hot. Nevertheless, soup was served as a starter, with beef and salsiccia sausage meatballs. My boys loved it immediately, and ever since, they often ask me to cook “the wedding soup” for them. The recipe wasn’t hard to find, as it’s a well-known Italian dish called minestra maritata, which refers to the “marriage” of fresh vegetables and meat in a broth. Due to its symbolic name, the soup was invited to my friend’s wedding, just like us. It is vibrant, hearty and very tasty. Best of all, it is very easy and quick to make. Even if you’re new to cooking, the step-by-step instructions below will set you on the path to success ingredients

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

• ½ lb (225g) ground beef
• ½ lb (225g) ground pork (or pork sausage)
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup (30g) Italian breadcrumbs
• ½ cup (50g) grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, plus a bit more for for serving
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion
• 2 carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 cloves garlic
• 7 cups (1,65 L) good chicken broth (or homemade stock)
• Greens: traditionally escarole, but spinach, Swiss chard, or kale also work
• ½ cup (90g) pasta in small shapes (acini di pepe, orzo, pastina)
• Salt & black pepper to taste
• Chili flakes (optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp Italian seasonings

Kitchen utensils: a large pot, a large bowl, a cheese grater, a teaspoon or a small ice cream scoop, achopping board and a knife.