Best Chiarellos Pumpkin Pastina Recipes

PUMPKIN PASTINA SERVED FAMILY STYLE IN A PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut the lid off the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and fibers. Scrape away some of the flesh, especially around the top, to form a large, smooth inner cavity. Make sure to leave the shell at least 1-inch thick all around. Oil the pumpkin inside and out and season inside with salt and pepper. Replace the lid. Place on a baking sheet and bake until about 2/3's cooked but still firm enough to stand and act as the soup container, about 40 minutes. Do not over-bake. If a good deal of liquid gathers in the bottom, spoon out and discard. Set aside; it will stay warm on its own a good while.
• Bring the stock to a low simmer in a saucepan. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the onion and cook until soft but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the thyme, stir, and add 2 cups of the stock. Bring to a boil. Add the pastina, stir well, and reduce the heat to maintain a slow simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer, adding the stock 1/2 cup at a time as the previous addition is absorbed and stirring occasionally to prevent the pastina from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until the pasta is al dente, about 15 minutes. Add the roasted squash and turkey to reheat. Stir well. The consistency should be quite loose, like a thick soup. Add more stock, if necessary. Add the 1/2 cup cheese and let melt for a moment before stirring in. Taste, for seasoning.
• Ladle the pastina into the reserved pumpkin shell and garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Replace the lid and take to the table immediately.
• Variation with Greens: For a colorful and nutritious addition, cut several handfuls of winter greens such as spinach or chard into a chiffonade and stir into the pastina just to wilt before serving.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTINA SERVED IN A PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut the lid off the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and fibers. Scrape away some of the flesh, especially around the top, to form a large, smooth inner cavity. Make sure to leave the shell at least 1-inch thick all around. Oil the pumpkin inside and out and season inside with salt and pepper. Replace the lid. Place on a baking sheet and bake until about 2/3 cooked but still firm enough to stand and act as the soup container, about 40 minutes. Do not over-bake. If a good deal of liquid gathers in the bottom, spoon out and discard. Set aside; it will stay warm on its own for a good while.
• Bring the stock to a low simmer in a saucepan. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the onion and cook until soft but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the thyme, stir, and add the pastina. Stir and add 2 cups of heated stock. Bring the mixture up to a simmer.
• Simmer, adding the stock 1/2 cup at a time as the previous addition is absorbed and stirring occasionally to prevent the pastina from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until the pasta is al dente, about 15 minutes. Add the roasted squash and turkey to reheat. Stir well. The consistency should be quite loose, like a thick soup. Add more stock, if necessary. Add the 1/2 cup cheese and let melt for a moment before stirring in. Taste for seasoning.
• Fill the reserved pumpkin shell with the pastina. Grate Parmesan on top and replace the lid and take to the table immediately.
• You could also serve this in individual tureens using smaller pumpkins or acorn squash.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. Halve lengthwise, discard the seeds, then cut into 1-inch dice. Place in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter ceases to foam and has turned a light brown immediately add the sage, vinegar, sugar (stand back so as not to get splattered), and molasses. Mix well and let simmer over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes to meld the flavors.
• Pour the vinegar mixture over the squash and toss well. Season with salt and pepper then transfer to a heavy rimmed baking sheet or baking dish large enough to hold the squash in a single layer. Place in the preheated oven and roast, tossing at least once, until very tender and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle but still warm, so the liquids are runny.
• Working in batches, if necessary, transfer the warm squash and all the cooking liquids to a food processor and process until smooth. Use immediately, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

CHICKEN AND PASTINA SOUP

Steps:

• Place chicken in 12 inch skillet. Add 1 carton of broth and heat to boiling.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when thickest part is cut.
• Meanwhile, in 5 quart stockpot, heat oil over medium heat.
• Add onion, carrot and celery.
• Cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender.
• Drain chicken, reserving broth and set chicken aside.
• Strain broth and add to vegetables.
• Stir remaining carton of broth, tomatoes, salt, pepper and bay leaf into stockpot and heat to boiling.
• Stir in pasta. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
• Shred or cut chicken into bite size pieces and add to soup.
• Stir in greens just until wilted and remove bay leaf.
• Serve with parmesan cheese.

PASTINA FOR ONE

Steps:

• Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan.
• Add pastina and salt, cook until most of the water is absorbed, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Turn off heat and add the egg, letting it cook on the hot pasta.
• Add the butter, cheese and a little pepper.

PASTINA WITH MILK AND EGGS

Steps:

• Bring the milk to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan. Stir often to keep it from burning on the bottom.
• Add the pastina and cook until it is al dente and the milk is thick like cream (be careful, once it starts to thicken it will do so quickly).
• Remove pan from heat and stir in the egg, cheese and salt and pepper.
• Serve at once.

PASTINA RISOTTO WITH ROASTED TOMATO AND PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pastina and cook for half the time recommended on the package. The pasta should still be very firm in the center as it will be cooked more.
• Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta, rinse with cold water, and drain again. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together. (You can prepare the pasta to this point up to 8 hours ahead; refrigerate it until you are ready to finish the dish).
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the garlic and saute until browned. Add the oregano and cook briefly to release its fragrance, then add 1 1/2 cups water. Bring the liquid to a boil, add the partially cooked pasta, and stir to coat. Add 1 cup stock or broth, season with salt and pepper, and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the Roasted Tomato and Pepper Sauce and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, then stir in the spinach to wilt. Thin, if desired, with some of the reserved pasta water. Remove from the heat, place in serving spoons and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Serve warm.
• Note: If you don't have any small pasta shapes in the pantry, you can grind spaghetti in your food processor until it's reduced to short lengths.
• Put the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the broiler to high.
• Smash the tomatoes with your hands and put them and their juice to a large bowl. Add the peppers, garlic, oil, vinegar, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper and mix the ingredients well. Pour out onto a shallow baking pan and place the pan on the middle rack of the oven under the broiler for 15 minutes. Give the mixture a good stir and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the peppers are tender.
• Puree the mixture in batches in a blender. (Do not fill the blender more than half full and hold a kitchen towel firmly over the blender lid while pureeing. Hot liquids can expand causing the lid the pop off and the hot liquid to splatter.) If not using right away, allow to cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
• Yield: about 4 1/2 cups

PASTINA D'AMBRODO

Steps:

• Rinse and dry the chicken thoroughly. In a large heated soup pot, place the onions, celery, carrots, and bay leaves. Add the whole chicken to the pot, and cover with enough cold water to cover almost all of the chicken. Add the tomatoes. Bring it pot up to the boil. When pot is at full boil, turn the heat down to low. Remove the scum of the broth as it forms on top with ladle. Allow to simmer for a couple of hours.
• Bring large pot of salted water to boil, add pastina and cook according to package directions.
• Remove the chicken from the broth and set aside. Place a strainer over a large serving bowl and strain the chicken broth through. Strain pastina well, before adding into the bowl with the broth. Serve immediately, top with grated Parmesan, if desired.

PUMPKIN PASTINA

Steps:

• Bring the broth to a low simmer in a saucepan.
• Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the onion and cook until soft but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the thyme; stir, and add 2 cups of the simmering broth. Bring to a boil.
• Add the pastina; stir well, and reduce the heat to maintain a slow simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Add simmering broth 1/2 cup at a time as the previous addition is absorbed, and stirring occasionally to prevent the pastina from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until the pasta is al dente, about 15 minutes.
• Add the squash and turkey to reheat. Stir well. The consistency should be quite loose, like a thick soup. Add more broth if necessary. Add the 1/2 cup cheese and let melt for a moment before stirring in. Taste for seasoning. If desired, pour into hollowed-out pumpkin for serving; garnish with cheese.