Pastina (Italy's penicillin)

Episode 8: One Pan Meals

Whenever I am feeling a little under the weather or even just a little sad, pastina is my go to comfort dish. Having an Italian mother, I grew up on it. A big bowl always feel likes a big warm hug from mum.

Now every Italian family has their own variation of Pastina. You can make it quite brothy, more of a cheesy risotto situation, blend vegetables into it or even sneak in an egg for extra nutrition. But this is how we make our pastina. It’s creamy, rich, comforting and I make it at least 3 times a week in my house because my kids go crazy for it!

Growing up, there was an unspoken rule in our house for when eating pastina. It had to be eaten on the couch and in the most comfortable clothes you owned. Eating it this way just made it taste so much better!

And the best part is that is comes together in under 10 minutes, is made with ingredients you most likely have in your pantry and is a one pot wonder! This isn’t a brand new recipe from me. It’s actually one of the most popular ones on my website, and of course, it made its way into the cookbook too. But it felt right to bring it back for my one pan series. So here she is (and behind no paywall this time)

So if you have a runny nose, need to mend a broken heart or are feeling the winter blues over in Australia, this recipe is for you. Us Italian’s beleive a bowl of pastina can cure anything!

You’ll also find this recipe in my cookbook Garlic, Olive Oil & Everything Mediterranean. The book is filled with the kind of food I grew up eating and still make every week in my kitchen. It’s packed with comforting, flavourful, Mediterranean-inspired recipes that celebrate simplicity, big flavour and of course, lots of garlic and olive oil. This pastina recipe earned its place in there because it’s a true classic in my house and one I know you’ll come back to again and again. You can preorder a copy below!

The Recipe

This is my family’s version of pastina, and you can find the full recipe over on my website! It’s one of those simple, nostalgic dishes that’s stood the test of time in our home, and I hope it becomes just as loved in yours.

I love pastina so much that I actually have two different version of the recipe over on my website (I told you it can be made so many ways)! This is a brothy pastina made with a homemade chicken brodo.