Description
Comforting pastina soup embodies Italian grandmother’s healing culinary wisdom, offering warmth and nourishment. Simple ingredients create a nostalgic bowl perfect for soothing souls when winter chills or illness strikes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cups (1.4 liters) chicken broth
- ½ cup (80 grams) pastina, uncooked
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil or butter
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- ¼ cup (25 grams) Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Sauté Base: Heat olive oil or butter in a large pot over medium heat, then introduce diced onion, carrot, and celery. Allow vegetables to soften and develop rich flavors for 4-5 minutes.
- Build Broth: Pour chicken broth into the vegetable foundation, bringing the liquid to a vigorous boil. Gradually add pastina, stirring intermittently to prevent clumping and ensure even cooking.
- Create Silky Texture: In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk eggs and Parmesan cheese until smooth. Reduce heat to low and carefully stream the egg mixture into the simmering soup, creating delicate egg ribbons while stirring continuously.
- Season and Finish: Season the soup with black pepper and salt, adjusting to taste. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and an optional sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
- Serve: Ladle the steaming soup into individual bowls, accompanying with crusty bread or crisp crackers for a comforting and nourishing meal.
Notes
- Prevent Pasta Clumping: Stir pastina frequently during cooking and add it gradually to avoid sticky, dense clusters.
- Achieve Silky Egg Ribbons: Whisk eggs thoroughly and pour very slowly into low-heat soup while stirring continuously to create delicate, smooth egg strands.
- Vegetable Softening Technique: Sauté onion, carrot, and celery until they’re translucent and fragrant, which develops deeper background flavor for the soup.
- Dietary Adaptations: Substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth for vegetarian version, use gluten-free pastina for celiac-friendly option, and replace eggs with nutritional yeast for vegan alternative.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg