In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.
Add the onion, carrots and celery to the pot and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sauté until veggies begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté an additional 2 minutes until garlic is cooked.
Meanwhile, put on a pot of water to boil for the pasta. Add enough kosher salt so that it tastes like the ocean.
Add chicken broth to soup pot and heat to a simmer.
Meanwhile, chop your escarole into small pieces and rinse thoroughly until clean.
Once soup is simmering, add in prepared mini meatballs and escarole. Simmer on low-medium for 15-20 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and the escarole is wilted down.
While the meatballs and escarole are simmering, cook your pasta to al dente in the salted boiling water. When there is about 1 minute of cooking time remaining for the pasta, transfer about 4 large ladlefuls of the cooking water to the soup. Drain pasta and return to pot.
In each serving bowl, add a small amount of pasta and ladle soup over top. Top with fresh cracked black pepper and plenty of grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Enjoy!
