Meatball-Sausage Pizza Stoup

I really love this recipe. I don't know why I do except to tell you that the flavors of this is so good. I think I could make it once a week but I think my children would get really sick of it. It is a Rachael Ray recipe from her book, "30 Minute Get Real Meals". Try it. I think you will be surprised and will love it too. I serve it with roasted garlic bread baked at 400^ the last 12-15 minutes of the stoup cooking, turning it over once for it to cook evenly. But I like mine a little harder and not fall apart when I "dunk" it in my stoup.

MEATBALL AND SAUSAGE PIZZA STOUP

Serves 4

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (twice around the pot)
1 pound bulk Italian sausage (hot or sweet)
4 garlic cloves (2 crushed 2 minced)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 quart chicken stock or broth
1 can (15oz) pizza sauce
1 pound ground beef, pork, and veal mix or ground sirloin
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (a couple of handfuls), plus more to pass at table
2 tablespoons Italian bread crumbs
1 egg yolk, beaten
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp allspice
A handful of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add EVOO and the sausage. Break up the sausage with the back of a wooden spoon and brown it, about 3 minutes. Add the 2 crushed garlic cloves and the chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and pizza sauce and raise heat to high to bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a bowl mix the ground meat with the minced garlic, grated cheese, bread crumbs, egg yolk, salt, pepper and allspice. Form bite-size balls and drop them into boiling liquid. The meatballs will cook like dumplings in about 8 minutes. When all of the balls have been added and the stoup returns to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the parsley, stir and ladle into shallow bowls. Top with a little grated cheese at the table.

**Notes**
I use for the pizza sauce the brand called Ferrara or you can even go to your local pizza shop and buy their pizza sauce.
I use the brand Colavita for my EVOO
If I do not want to spend the extra money for the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, I instead will get the 3 cheese blend of Parmesan, Romano and Asiago cheese.
I also like it spicy so I will add some red pepper flakes to taste.