Spaghetti and Meatball "Stoup" 080707

Spaghetti and Meatball "Stoup"

2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and chopped into a small dice
1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
2 small ribs of celery from the heart, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 cups of tomato sauce or 1 (14-ounce) can plus 1 (8-ounce) can
3 cups of chicken stock
1 pound of ground beef, pork and veal mix (meatloaf mix)
1/2 cup of grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup of Italian bread crumbs, a few handfuls
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley leaves
1/2 pound of spaghetti, broken in half
1 cup of basil leaves, torn or shredded and
1 loaf of Italian crusty bread, for dunking

1. Preheat a medium soup pot over medium heat and add the extra-virgin olive oil, carrots, onions, celery, garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Then add the tomato sauce and stock and cover the pot. Turn up the heat and bring to a fast boil.
   
2. While the soup comes to a boil, mix the ground meat with the cheese, bread crumbs, egg and parsley. Roll into 1 1/2 to 2-inch balls.
   
3. Remove the lid from the soup and slide the meatballs into the soup. Bring back to a boil then stir in the spaghetti. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup for 10 minutes more until the pasta is tender and the meatballs have cooked through. Stir in the basil and remove the "stoup" from the stove.