Adult Pastina
aka grandma’s penicillin
This recipe was inspired by my grandmother's pastina that she and my mom would make when I wasn't feeling well. It is a hug for your insides, perfect for a cold, winter evening.
how to make your own:
What you’ll need:
For the brodo:
3-4 chicken thighs, bone-in & skin on (see note #1)
For the pastina:
½ large yellow onion, small diced
3 carrots, peeled & small diced
3 celery, small diced
3-4 kale stalks, de-stemmed and cut small
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, feel free to adjust to your spice preference
3-5 cups brodo (or broth, see notes #1 & 2)
¾ cup dried pastina (also called Acini Di Pepe)
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup shredded parmesan
Salt
pepper
What you’ll do:
For the brodo: (see note #1)
Place chicken thighs, 12 cups of water, and salt in a large pot on high heat. Boil covered for about 45 minutes until chicken is fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool. Taste broth and add salt if needed.
After 45 minutes, remove the chicken and let it cool. Shred the chicken and remove the skin. You can use this for another meal, or add the chicken to the pastina when it has finished cooking.
For the pastina:
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the veggies
Chop the onion, carrots, celery, and kale into small pieces. Add all chopped veggies to a pot with olive oil and saute for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
Add chopped garlic, chili flakes, and a pinch of salt/pepper to the vegetable mixture and saute for another 4-5 minutes.
Once the veggies are softened, add 4 cups of brodo and the pastina. Stir and cover. Let cook for about 9 minutes making sure to stir frequently.
Once pastina is cooked fully (it should be al dente) turn off the heat, add butter and parmesan and serve.
Enjoy!
Notes:
*Brodo is homemade broth, you can use store-bought broth but the homemade stuff hits differently. No chicken is necessary for this recipe if you decide to use store-bought broth and you can skip the “for the brodo” step.
**You can add more broth if a soupier consistency is desired.
***Top served pastina with parmesan and enjoy!!
Full instruction video here
