Romanian Meatball Soup (Ciorbă de Perișoare)
- Makes4-6 servings
- Cook Time1¼ hours
- 1
Ciorbă is a category of Romanian soups that can feature just about any type of meats and/or vegetables, but always has a tart, tangy flavor from an acidic ingredient, such as fermented wheat bran or vinegar. This simple, rustic meatball ciorbă is our version of the soup Anca Vlad prepared for us at Gastro Local in Transylvania. Short-grain rice, cooked until the grains are fully softened, help the meatballs hold together. The meatball mixture is sticky, but moistening your hands with water when dividing and shaping it will prevent sticking and make handling easier. Serve with sour cream for stirring into it.
Don’t allow the broth to boil after adding the meatballs; cook them only at a simmer. With no bread to bind the pork mixture, the meatballs will toughen if cooked too vigorously.
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