Here's a soup that is near and dear to my heart that evokes childhood memories of my mother's cooking. Made with homemade chicken broth, it is extremely easy to prepare and will warm not only your heart but also your children's hearts. I say that this is easy with the caveat that simplicity comes after the broth is made. My mother made her version of chicken noodle soup with homemade chicken broth and tiny, tiny little pasta shaped in the form of stars . . . known as 'pastina'. This is also a recipe that is representative of the 'cucina povera' (poor food) that my relatives ate in the harsh environment of the Italian mountains in the 19th and 20th centuries prior to moving to America.
My family recipe for chicken broth (Brodo di Pollo) is posted on November 25, 2009. You can click here for the recipe.
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Who doesn't like chicken noodle soup? And what soup comes to mind the most when someone is a little under the weather and in need of some warm comfort food? Chicken noodle soup is just a classic, traditional soup in our culture.
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Pastina in Chicken Broth (Pastina en Brodo di Pollo)
6 cups chicken broth (I make and freeze my own chicken broth, so I always have some on hand ~ recipe posted on 11/25/09, click here)
1 2-inch piece of Parmesan cheese rind
1 cup pastina (any tiny, tiny pasta shape)
2 cups diced cooked chicken, preferably breast meat (optional, my family does not include)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Giada used Romano, which is a nice cheese as well)
Sea salt to taste
In a large stockpot, bring the chicken broth (preferably home-made) and Parmesan rind to a boil over medium-high heat.
Add the tiny pastina noodles and cook until the pasta is tender for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the chicken if used, and heat through about 3 minutes.
Remove the Parmesan rind and discard.
Stir in 1/2 of the cheese.
Season with sea salt to taste.
Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with the remaining cheese, if desired.
Serve with warm, crusty Italian bread for sopping up any extra broth.
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sheer comfort food! :-)
ReplyDeleteIt is easy to see why this would be a childhood favourite.So comforting! I have seen the wee little pasta at the grocers and will make an effort to pick some up the next time I am there.
ReplyDeleteWith all those little stars, that soup must taste "heavenly." Thanks for sharing. Susan
ReplyDeleteI love this simple soup.
ReplyDeleteI can almost taste it!
ReplyDeleteOMG you brought back some awesome childhood memories for me :-) My nana made this soup all the time when I was a little girl . . . my mom never had the recipe since nana did all the cooking.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for posting this recipe . . . I must make it this week!!
Ciao . . . Gina :)
Pastina is so evocative - whether it's with soup or a little butter - it's pure childhood bliss. I just looked at your photos and was swept away. Pastina is next-to-impossible to get in the Twin Cities. Whenever we go to NYC, we come home a suitace filled with it!
ReplyDeletei never knew pastina was stars, so cute!
ReplyDeleteThat simple soup looks like comfort food at its best. Something to warm you up inside and out and eating stars will surely put a smile on anyone's face.
ReplyDeletelove this pasta feed it to Jasmine when she was 7 months in Italy mashed up with cheese he he
ReplyDeleteCiao mia amica! This looks so delicious.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great week!
Oh my gosh Roz Pastina!! Pastina was my oldest sons first "real food". we were so poor that child ate Pastina every day. Funny thing is he still loves it!
ReplyDeleteThat is the cutest little pasta. I've going to have to see if my grocery store carries them. My husband requests chicken soup all the time and this would be a nice addition. thanks!
ReplyDeleteI just bought a box of Barilla pastina on sale and now I know what to make with it. The soup looks delicious--perfect comfort food. Great pick! ;-)
ReplyDeleteWe love homemade Chicken soup, especially in the fall/winter months. I will definitely try this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI really love the star shaped pastina! Great comfort food.
ReplyDeleteI also grew up on pastina. Sometimes my mom would make cheese ravioli in chicken broth and that was also good for the soul. Now I make it for my children. Pastina brings back many warm childhood memories. Thanks for sharing. :-)
ReplyDeletethis post of the pastina brought back many beautiful memories and a tear reminising them, miss my mom and grandmom so much thank you very nice post and love your soup
ReplyDeleteThis is golden and rich and so appealing. I could sit down to a plate, at almost any time, when it looks like this. Thanks for linking this to MMM.
ReplyDeleteI love it! I never see stars here, but I am definitely going on the lookout. Delicious!
ReplyDeleteoh i've got to look for that star pasta! that looks incredible, anne
ReplyDeleteThis soup warms my heart!!!
ReplyDeleteRoz - This was most perfect choice for the kid at heart theme. Comforting, warming, soul-satisfying, and nostalgic. It looks perfectly delicious.
ReplyDeleteHope you are doing well!
My mother used to make soup with pastina as well, and everyone really loved it. It is a true comfort food.Thanks so much for bringing back the flood of good memeories.
ReplyDeleteRoz - what a wonderful choice - comfort food at its best, and love those little pasta stars - that would definitely appeal to the kid in me :-)
ReplyDeleteSue
Hi Roz!!! im a blogging Newbie and im just now finding your site! Im DIGGIN IT ALL! I LOOOOVE those teeny tiiiny lil stars! I SOOO remember those! I am VERY cookin challenged! Im workin on it though! I WILL be following you! I have an Interior Design business & Blog...Im doing 14 days of xmas trees right now and would LOOOVE it if you could visit! I also have a GIVEAWAY!
ReplyDelete*ENTER PAMPERING Give-Away Here *
blessings*xoxokara
Awesome Roz! This is so fun and totally reminds me of being a kid...another of my childhood favorites. Great choice for IHCC and thanks for sharing it w/ the hearth and soul hop this week, as well :)
ReplyDeletewhat adorable little pasta! I love it! This looks like a fantastic soup and it's gorgeous! :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you will swing by and enter the CSN Giveaway that I'm hosting this week!
What a delicious soup - reminds me of campbells chicken and stars - but OH so much better! I know my kids would love this! Thanks for sharing it with us at the Hearth and Soul Hop!
ReplyDeletepastina was my very first baby food...and then the only thing i would eat when i was little when i was sick...and the one thing i turn to when i need some comfort food. oh how i love my pastina! my heart is warmed just reading your post. grazie! thank you for linking up this great food memory to tuesday night supper club.
ReplyDeleteOh wow...yeah, that DOES bring back some childhood memories. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
ReplyDeleteAlso, Hi! I found your fabulous blog through aquariann's Autumn Blog Hop.
And I forgot to say thanks for sending it to Souper Sundays this week. It's in the round up. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI make pastina like this almost once a week or every other week. It's so comforting. We mix an egg in it and it really hits the spot. I love your brodo recipe. Never mixed beef with the chicken though. What do you do with the beef after it's cooked?
ReplyDeleteYUM. I know just how heavenly this is. My grandma used to make it, and my mom still does too.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness does this ever have memories for so many Italian families. Who didn't make this? And what baby ever missed out on it? Not in my family. I think this was every baby's first real meal. Pastina! Mmmmmm, so good and so homey!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing this with all of us. This takes me back to when i was a little girl and my nonna used to make this for me. this is very comforting food and i love it. i make this for my husband when hes sick and he's not a soup person. But he loves this soup. =) Manja manja!
ReplyDelete-xo Napoli Love
Great recipe! Very simple and soothing for a soar throat. I have bee meaning to find a use for the pastina pasta and this was as good as any. Thanks for sharing. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat recipe! Very simple and soothing for a soar throat. I have bee meaning to find a use for the pastina pasta and this was as good as any. Thanks for sharing. :)
ReplyDeleteHi there. The current Food on Friday on Carole's Chatter is all about favourite foods from childhood. I do hope you link this lovely one in. This is the link . Please do pop back to check out some of the other links. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteRoz, thank you for linking this in to Food on Friday. We are now getting a super collection of dishes we loved as kids together. I hope you have stopped by some of the other links to check them out!
ReplyDeletePs I have just signed up to follow your blog. A follow back to Carole's Chatter would be wonderful – or have you already followed? Cheers
Ps If you would like email reminders of future Food on Fridays, just pop by and comment and include your email - I won't publish it - and the reminder will be by bcc so it will remain private
Hello! Love your recipe for brodo! I made it yesterday for my 8 month old baby, so she can enjoy a nice pastina. Many thanks. Love your other recipes too :)
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