Author Guest Post - The Witless Protection Program by Maria Dirico

Introducing Maria Dirico: Author of "The Witless Protection Program"

Maria Dirico is a beacon of wit and wisdom in the literary world. Her upcoming book, "The Witless Protection Program," set to release on March 26, 2024, promises to deliver laughter and insight in equal measure.

With a knack for blending humor with profound observations, Dirico's writing style captivates readers, inviting them into worlds where the mundane becomes magical and laughter reigns supreme.

As anticipation builds for the release of "The Witless Protection Program," Maria Dirico's unique voice and storytelling prowess continue to charm audiences, leaving an indelible mark on the literary landscape.

Read her guest post below!!

The Catering Hall Mysteries are inspired by my real family. My beloved mother, who just passed away in January at the age of ninety-seven, was born in Italy and came to this country when she was three years old. My pen name, “Maria DiRico” – I write my other series as Ellen Byron – is the maiden name of my late nonna. When I was growing up, I could spend a weekend at Italian family functions and not hear anyone speaking English. (If you’re wondering if this means I can speak Italian, the answer is sadly no. At least not well. I did study it in college and for a few years afterwards, my Italian was passable. But I never learned it at home. My mother spoke it when she didn’t want us kids to know what she was talking about!)

One of the great benefits of my youth was meals featuring the best Italian food I will ever eat in my life, thanks to Mom, Nonna, and my Zia Rose. Homemade pastas, sausage, braciole, and soup – what we called meatball soup, a delicious broth filled with celery, carrots, and tiny meatballs. It never occurred to me this soup was anything but one of my family’s favorite dishes. I was beyond surprised when I learned – only in the last ten years or so – that this particular soup has another name: Italian Wedding Soup. And it’s a traditional Italian recipe.

Since The Witless Protection Program revolves around Mia’s nuptials, I thought it would be a fitting recipe to include in the book. But I was curious about the soup’s name, so I did a bit of research into its genesis. It turns out it has nothing to do with marriage. The name was inspired by the “wedding” of green vegetables – in this case, spinach – with meat in the soup.

Be that as it may, I decided to share the recipe with you today. I’ve taken my family’s recipe and tweaked it to make it my own. Abbondanza!

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP

Ingredients for the meatballs:

1 lb. ground turkey or chicken (I use turkey)

½ cup Italian breadcrumbs

2 tsp. minced garlic

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons chopped parsley

1 jumbo egg, lightly beaten

1 Tablespoon milk

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp pepper

Olive oil cooking spray

Ingredients for the soup:

2 Tablespoons olive oil

10 cups chicken stock

1 cup minced onion

1 cup diced carrots

¾ cup finely diced celery

½ cup dry white wine

4-6 cups fresh baby spinach, cleaned and trimmed (You can use as much as 12 oz. of the spinach. I tend to go easy on it)

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 cup small pasta, like orzo or stars

¼ cup fresh dill, finely minced

1 tsp. lemon juice

Salt and pepper to season.

Extra grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients – turkey, breadcrumbs, garlic, parmesan cheese, parsley, egg, milk – and mix together well. I do this by hand because that’s how the women in my family did it. But you can also use a sturdy spoon. And if you do mix by hand, make sure to wash your hands incredibly well!

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray with olive oil cooking spray. Drop the meatball mixture onto the pan by the teaspoonful, or form small, around 1” meatballs. They don’t have to be perfectly round, though.

Bake the meatballs for around twenty or thirty minutes. They should be lightly browned and cooked all the way through. Remove from oven and set aside.

While the meatballs are cooking:

In a large, heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium to low heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté the vegetables until softened (around five minutes).

Add the chicken stock, Italian seasoning, and wine. Bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it’s done, about six to eight minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (But not too much. Remember, salt is an ingredient in the meatballs and the parmesan cheese you use on top of each serving.)

Add the meatballs and fresh dill to the soup and simmer for a couple of minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook briefly, until the spinach is wilted.

When serving the soup, sprinkle each bowl with grated parmesan, about a teaspoonful or even a bit more.

Serves 8.