Ingredients

• 4 slices white bread, cubed
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
• 12 ounces chicken sausage, casing removed
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary needles, chopped
• 2 eggs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup schmaltz (rendered chicken fat)
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup matzo meal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 gallon plus 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced carrot
• 1 cup diced celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 cups diced zucchini
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup soaked and cooked cannellini beans
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ounces fresh basil leaves
• 1 ounce pine nuts, toasted
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 bulb garlic, chopped
• 3 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 crostini, for serving

Instructions

1. For the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a bowl, combine the bread and the milk and work with your hands until the mixture is a wet paste. Add the ground chicken, sausage, Parmesan, onion, tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, rosemary and eggs, and mix well. Make a test patty, cook and taste. Sprinkle the mixture with salt and pepper. Form 1-ounce meatballs and arrange on a sheet tray. Cook until the meatballs are completely cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. For the matzo balls: In a bowl, combine the schmaltz and the eggs. Add the matzo meal, baking powder and salt, and mix well. Mix in 1/4 cup of the chicken broth and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until the mixture has set, least 1 hour.
3. Form 12 to 16 balls out of the mix. Bring the remaining gallon of chicken broth to a simmer and drop the matzo balls in. Simmer until cooked through, 30 minutes.
4. For the minestrone: In a pot, heat the oil. Add the carrots, celery and onions, and sweat. Add the garlic and thyme and saute for 1 minute. Add the zucchini and saute until the carrots are just tender. Add the stock, beans and tomatoes, and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the soup until all of the vegetables are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. For the pesto: In a food processor combine the basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, lemon juice, salt and garlic. Run the food processor, slowly add the oil and puree to a chunky paste. Season with salt and pepper.
6. To serve, bring the soup to a simmer and add the meatballs and matzo balls. Ladle the soup, 2 meatballs and 1 matzo ball in each bowl.
7. Spread some pesto on the crostini and balance on top of the matzo ball.