Comforting and Classic Pastina is your new go-to meal for when you are feeling sick, or just in need of an easy homemade dish. With just 4 ingredients, this dish is ready in 20 minutes.
When our family got hit with not one but two rounds of sickness this September, we had to dig deep into our roster of comfort food. At one point, all my husband wanted was a comforting bowl of his mom’s pastina soup. After a quick face time with my mother in law, I had my recipe and we were off to the races!
Also called “Italian Penicillin”, this brothy, cheesy pasta dish feels like a warm hug in your belly. Grab a cozy sweatshirt, pull up the blankets, throw on your favorite tv show, and nurse yourself back to health with a warm bowl of this Comforting and Classic Pastina
Why you’ll love this dish
Only 4 ingredients. This is a simple recipe that only requires a few ingredients and is ready in under 20 minutes
It’s easy to cook. Even when you are sick, you can easily throw this dish together.
One pot. Means fewer dishes!
Ingredients
Pastina: Pastina is typically tiny star shaped pastas. I have searched high and low in Seattle, and can not find this version of pastina. After some research, I found out that Ronzoni discontinued their pastina pasta. Though my husband was disappointed, we found a host of other small pastas suitable for pastina. For this recipe, I used Acini di Pepe, which was close enough to the original version in size and made for a delicious pastina.
Vegetable broth: I use Better than Bouillon, this makes the pastina flavorful.
Pastina: Traditional pastina may be hard to find. A small pasta such as Acini di Pepe can work as a substitute.
Butter and Parmesan Cheese: Makes this dish warm and comforting
Salt and pepper: Needed especially if your broth isn’t as flavorful
How to Make
- In a large saucepan, bring water and vegetable broth to a boil.
- Once boiling, add pasta. Cook until pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. For the Acini di Pepe it was 9 minutes. For smaller pastina, this may be quicker – around 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and stir in butter and grated cheese.
- Divide into 4 bowls, and add salt and pepper to taste!
How to store and reheat
To store, place in an airtight container for 4-5 days. To reheat, add a splash of vegetable stock or water and microwave.
Other Recipes you May Enjoy
Pumpkin Pasta Sauce with Toasted Hazelnuts and Sage
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Pastina (A comforting Italian Classic)
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 small bowls
Description
Pastina is your new go-to meal for when you are feeling sick, or just in need of an easy comforting food. With just 4 ingredients, this dish is ready in 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups vegetable broth
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2 cups of water
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1 cup of pastina (I used Acini di Pepe ,which is a small pearl-shaped pasta*)
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⅓ cup grated parmesan
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2 tablespoons of butter
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Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, bring water and vegetable broth to a boil.
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Once boiling, add pasta. Cook until pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. For the Acini di Pepe, it was 9 minutes. For smaller pastina, this may be quicker – around 5 minutes.
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Remove from heat, and stir in butter and grated cheese.
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Divide into 4 bowls, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
See above post for notes on reheating, and *pasta substitutions.
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: dinner
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: italian