Pastina in broth is a simple soup of the poor peasant cuisine, based of course on pasta boiled in broth.

In Italy the term “pastina” is used to refer to all those tiny pasta shapes.

 

[mv_create key=”3″ thumbnail=”https://eatalianrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/8wzrB1635244904.png” title=”Pastina: The Italian Penicillin” type=”recipe”]

 

 

VARIANT:
Another great classic is the version of the pastina with egg and Parmesan cheese.

You can find the recipe here: https://eatalianrecipes.com/pastina-egg-chicken-soup-the-italian-penicillin/

SERVINGS:4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lt. (4 cups) of beef or chicken broth*
• 200 g (1 cup) of pastina
• 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano Reggiano grated cheese
• Q.B. of fresh rosemary
• 1 pinch of pepper

 

DIRECTIONS:

In a large pot, pour the beef or chicken broth,  salt and bring to a boil.

Then pour in the pastina and allow to cook for the time indicated on the package.

At the end of the cooking time, add the grated cheese and fresh rosemary; then bring the dish to the table piping hot.

 

 

*How to Make Beef Broth

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 carrots
• 2 celery ribs
• 5 sprigs of parsley
• 1 medium-sized white onion
• 1 kg of beef cut on the bone
• 4 liters of water
• 10 g coarse salt (1 teaspoon is about 10 grams)

 

DIRECTIONS:

Wash the carrots and cut off the ends.
Wash the celery stalks and cut them into 2-3 parts.
Wash the sprigs of parsley.
Peel the onions and cut off the ends with a knife.
Rinse the meat under running water taking care to remove any bone chips and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Place all the ingredients in the pot, add the water and salt.
Bring the pot over high heat, covered, until the water boils. Reduce to low and simmer slowly for 3 hours semi-covered.
While cooking, check the pot from time to time, skimming and stirring. To skim, use a fine-mesh razor blade and remove any fat and meat residue that comes to the surface.
After three hours, turn off the heat, drain the meat and vegetables, and strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer.
Leave the broth to cool and store it in the refrigerator in the pot or in a hermetically sealed jar. When ready to use, remove the layer of fat that forms on the surface.

 

 

*How to make Chicken Broth

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 liters of water
• One chicken
• One celery rib
• One carrot
• One onion
• Sprigs of parsley
• Salt
• Pepper

 

DIRECTIONS:

Clean the chicken, removing the entrails and any remaining feathers.
Carefully wash the chicken under fresh running water and dry with paper towels.
Wash the celery, carrot and onion, removing any skins and cutting them into chunks.
At this point, take a large saucepan with high sides and put inside the carrot, onion and celery, sautéing them for a few minutes over high heat and adding 4 liters of water.
Put the chicken in the pot together with the vegetables and add a little washed parsley.
Season with salt and pepper and cook the chicken in the broth for about an hour, removing any fat that has surfaced with the aid of a skimmer.
Once the cooking time of the chicken has elapsed, remove the chicken from the pot and filter the broth obtained in a fine-meshed strainer in order to eliminate any residual fat, meat or vegetables and use the broth to make risotto, to make excellent agnolotti in broth or tortellini in broth or to prepare pasta in broth.

 

 

 

This is a variant with egg and Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, step by step:

 

The Nonna’s Penicillin: EGG & PARMESAN CHEESE PASTINA