Pastina Soup (aka Italian Penicillin)

There’s been not less than one particular person in my household sick at any given second over the previous three months, which suggests I’ve made extra batches of Pastina Soup, aka Italian Penicillin, then I can depend!

My children and I’ve even developed a chant we sing again and again as I scoop ladlefuls of steaming broth into their bowls:

“Sewp! Sewp! We. Love. Sewp!“

Perhaps you needed to be there.

Whether or not you’re sick, effectively, or someplace in between, you’re going to like every spoonful of this brothy, nourishing, EASY soup. It’s like liquid gold!

Pastina — aka Italian Penicillin — Soup

Pastina Soup is a tackle Rooster Noodle Soup. Just like the soul-satisfying traditional, this model requires broth, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, plus contemporary and dried herbs, and pasta. Not like typical hen soup although, the greens are boiled then blended into the broth which supplies the soup a little bit physique.

Pastina Soup additionally goes by the title “Italian Penicillin” as a result of it’s the BEST once you’ve acquired a head chilly or the flu and wish one thing comforting and nourishing that takes little or no effort to make.

What’s Pastina?

Pastina refers to small pasta shapes and interprets to: “little pasta” in Italian. Acini di pepe and orzo are sorts of pastina, and Barilla even sells mini star pasta they label as “pastina”.

All that stated, I really like utilizing Jovial model gluten free “stelline” pasta which is tiny star-shaped pasta made with brown rice. They work completely on this recipe.

Elements Wanted

This soup recipe falls into “the sum is larger than its components” class, which means it requires on a regular basis elements which mix to make one thing spectacular. Right here’s what you’ll want:

• Rooster inventory or bone broth: I really like utilizing home made hen inventory as the bottom of this soup, in any other case Kirkland (Costco) model hen inventory is my store-bought go-to. For those who’re actually underneath the climate, bone broth is unbelievable for pumping up the diet and protein within the soup.
• Mirepoix: carrots, celery, and shallot or onion present plenty of taste and diet.
• Garlic: I’m a garlic lover and have examined this recipe with a head of garlic, all the way in which all the way down to 2 cloves, and like the delicate taste of a pair garlic cloves.
• Contemporary thyme: provides a lot taste. I extremely advocate contemporary, however dried will do in a pinch.
• Bay leaf: infuses the broth with taste.
• Parmesan cheese rind: when you don’t already, inventory your freezer with a Ziplock bag of parmesan cheese rinds to drop into soup recipes like this one. It’s SHOCKING how a lot taste they add! Discover parmesan cheese rinds on the speciality cheese counter at your grocery retailer.
• Additional virgin olive oil: a drizzle added to the soup pot gives taste and a contact of wanted fats.
• Salt and pepper: seasons the soup.
• Lemon: a small drizzle added on the finish wakens and brightens the soup. Just like the parmesan cheese rind, it is a should.
• Pastina: once more, I like to recommend Jovial model stelline pasta which is gluten free.

Customise Your Pastina Soup

This can be a tremendous straight ahead soup recipe that’s straightforward, good as written, and largely fingers off. That stated, be at liberty to decorate it up a bit, if you want!

• Add protein: pump up the protein by including diced or shredded hen. Leftover rotisserie, baked, or Air Fried hen work completely.
• Add warmth: a pinch or extra of purple chili pepper flakes is particularly welcome when you’ve got the sniffles.
• Add taste: I LOVE including a drizzle of truffle oil to my bowl simply earlier than digging in.

Alright, lets get you some Pastina Soup to appease the abdomen and soul!

Serve with Gluten Free Focaccia

Find out how to Make Pastina Soup

Step 1: Prep the greens.

Begin by slicing the ends off then peeling a small yellow onion (or giant shallot), cleansing then trimming a pair ribs of celery, and peeling a pair small/medium-sized carrots.

Roughly chop all of the veggies into hunks. I LOVE that you simply don’t must take the time to finely chop or slice the veggies on this recipe which might really feel like plenty of effort, particularly once you’re sick.

Step 2: Boil the greens in broth.

Add the chopped greens to a big soup pot or Duch oven with hen inventory or hen bone broth, contemporary thyme, a bay leaf, parmesan cheese rind, salt, pepper, and drizzle of further virgin olive oil.

Place a lid on high then flip the warmth to excessive to convey the liquid to a boil. As soon as boiling, flip the warmth all the way down to low then simmer till the greens are very tender, 20-Half-hour.

Step 3: Mix the greens.

As soon as the greens are very tender, take away the parmesan cheese rind, thyme stems, and bay leaf from the pot then switch the greens to a high-speed blender with a ladleful or two of broth.

Mix till the greens are very clean then pour the puree again into the soup pot and stir to mix. I like so as to add almost all of the pureed greens into the pot as a result of I don’t just like the broth to turn into too thick. Be at liberty so as to add kind of to get your broth to your required consistency.

Step 4: Season the soup.

Add a squeeze of contemporary lemon juice — the soup shouldn’t style lemony, simply brightened — then style and add extra salt and pepper if essential.

That’s it! Place a lid on high of the pot to maintain it heat when you cook dinner the pastina.

Step 5: Cook dinner the pastina.

Boil the pastina in a pot of salted, boiling water in line with the bundle instructions then drain and return to the pot.

These little stars are so satisfying to eat. I simply love them!

Divvy the cooked pastina between bowls then high with the steaming soup and end with a flourish of freshly grated parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper. A contemporary loaf of Gluten Free Focaccia, or basket of heat Gluten Free Biscuits are the proper final touch.

Leftovers maintain effectively within the fridge for 3-5 days, and/or freeze superbly for as much as 3 months. That stated, maintain the cooked pasta and broth separate when storing within the fridge or freezer.

Whether or not you’re underneath the climate or in good well being — you’ll love each final drop of this soup satisfying soup. Get pleasure from!

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Photographs by Ashley McLaughlin

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