Recipe: Ricotta Cheese Soup

Ricotta Cheese Soup
rec.food.recipes/Diane M. Ferrell/1997

This is a recipe handed down--we've never put broccoli into it, but I imagine you could.

cheese balls:
1 lb fresh ricotta cheese - either cow or goat milk cheese, although the goat ricotta is creamier
1/2 cup grated cheese - parmesan or romano
1 1/2 cups (or more) very dry bread crumbs
1 egg
2 tbsp dry, crushed basil
1 tbsp dry, crushed marjoram
salt, garlic salt, black pepper to taste

soup:
1 stick butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 to 2 cups cooked orzo or other small soup mac
2 stalks celery, chopped - include leaves if possible
6-8 qts water

Mix together the cheeses, bread crumbs, egg, herbs and seasonings well. The mixture should seem hard and somewhat dry. If it is not, when you place the cheese balls in the soup, they will come apart and spread across the soup--yuck! I've had this happen to me. Roll the cheese mixture into balls about 1 1/2-inches in diameter or a little smaller.

In a 6 or 8 qt pot, melt the butter. Add the onions and celery and saute until they just begin to turn golden. Add 6 qts of water and a little salt if you wish. You can also add a can of low-fat chicken broth.

Bring the soup to a heavy boil then drop the cheese balls into the soup. They will sink to the bottom of the pot. When they are cooked they will float to the top of the soup. Gently stir so they won't stick to the pot.

Add the cooked orzo and boil for about 1 or 2 minutes.

Serve with thick slices of Vienna bread and a mixed lettuce salad. If you omit the chicken broth, this is a wonderful Lenten dish.