Pastina *ish
Something to make when you're sick and a reminder that not everything needs to be paired
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Y’all…I’m so very tired, which is why this post is coming today instead of yesterday. It’s been raining on and off all week, I’ve spent the majority of my days staring into the abyss of my computer’s dull glow, and my emotions have been waxing and waning as I contemplate what the future holds beyond my thesis defense in December. Maybe I’ll move to another city, maybe I’ll fall in love, or get a job, or finally become fluent in Italian…maybe all of those things, or none of those things.
With all of these thoughts swirling around me, I wanted nothing more than to cozy up with a warm bowl of cozy pasta. This pastina*ish dish is exactly what the doctor ordered. It’s a stick to your ribs kind of meal that’s healthy-ish (hey, there are vegetables).
A few notes. I’ve never made this before and basically threw together a few recipes I found on the internet to make this Franken-pastina. In an effort to not get my permesso di soggiorno taken away from me, I won’t claim it’s Italian. I went totally off the rails by adding turmeric to it – solely because I was really vibing with the color orange. I also had a can of chickpeas that I just threw in at the end for some extra fiber. Yeah, that kind of week. If you want it to be more traditional, forego the turmeric and the chickpeas. Finally, I didn’t have any fresh parsley in my kitchen, but I bet that it would be delicious if you chopped it up and used it as a garnish.
It’s not traditional, but it’s delicious.
Pastina
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6 people
THE INGREDIENTS
Stelline ☆/ ~ 3 cups
Broth / chicken, veggie or bone broth, ~ 6 cups
Parmesan Rind
Carrots / 3, chopped in half
Celery / 6 stalks, ends removed
Onion / 2 white onion, peeled, chopped in half
Turmeric / a dash
Egg Yolk / 2
Chickpeas / 1 can, drained
Salt and Pepper
Parmesan / finely grated
Chili Flakes
Olive oil, or butter
THE RECIPE:
In a large pot, bring your broth to a boil. Add in your parmesan rind, carrots, celery, onion, turmeric, salt and pepper. Boil until your vegetables are soft.
Remove the parmesan rind from the pot and throw off.
Scoop out the carrots, celery and onion. Blend in a food processor until smooth and creamy before stirring the mixture back into the pot of boiling broth.
Add in your pasta to the pot and cook for 5 minutes until stelline are al dente and the liquid has cooked down. I cooked mine down to the point that it was nearly risotto-like. Turn off the heat and let cool for 3 minutes.
Quickly stir in your egg yolks and parmesan until the pasta is smooth and creamy. Mix in your chickpeas. Season to taste, adding salt and pepper as needed.
Serve, topped with chili flakes, more parmesan and a drizzle of your best olive oil.
WINE WISDOM:
I might get in trouble for saying this because it is a food and wine publication, but I honestly think you don’t need a glass of wine with this dish (though I’m sure that there is an excellent pairing out there). For me, the whole point of making it is that I wanted to be snug as a bug and cozy in bed by 10pm watching Nobody Wants This.
But I think that’s a lesson in and of itself.
Wine is supposed to match you and how you feel – more than anything, it’s about the experience you want to create for yourself and the feelings you want to conjure.
If you can concoct an amazing wine pairing, then DO THAT. But you should never let it distract from the experience you want to have.
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