Tag: recipe

Italian

Pastina (Italian Penicillin)

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Pastina is a classic recipe for when you are feeling sick or cold. It is ideal for older people or children, as well, because it is easy to digest. It isn’t meant to be fancy or heavily seasoned. Instead, rely on the simple flavors to comfort you. It feels silly to add the recipe here because it is so simple, but I have had a few people ask me for the recipe. The beauty is that it is ready to eat in ten minutes with ingredients you usually have on hand:)

You will need:

  • 2 cups chicken broth (bone broth preferred)
  • pinch of salt
  • 3/4 to one cup of pastina (or very small pasta like orzo)
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Steps:

  • Bring the broth and salt to a rolling boil.
  • Add the pastina and cook for 8 minutes. Most of the liquid should be absorbed. I stir constantly because it tends to stick to the bottom as it absorbs.
  • Once the pastina is cooked, stir in the butter and the freshly grated parmesan cheese. Make sure the parmesan is good quality. Sometimes, if I feel fancy I might put a scrunch of black pepper.
  • Sprinkle some extra grated parmesan on top, and enjoy.
Homemade Flatbread: Easy Prep, Endless Options
Baking · Italian · Mediterranean

Homemade Flatbread: Easy Prep, Endless Options

vanva1 Comment

I love making these and the best part about these is that you don’t have to knead it. These are incredibly versatile – you can use it as a pizza base, or add vegetables to make it Catalan style or Roman flatbread. You can make it as a base for antipasti or pesto-prosciutto. I have used these several ways: to make individual pizzas for children, or to make my own inventions. I usually whip these up on a Friday night after school and work for a very low effort-delicious alternative to pizza. I would let the children each have their own flatbread to decorate as they wish. These are also a savvy appetizer item for company. The recipe is rather simple, and there are endless ways to showcase ingredients.

Prep: 10 minutes

Time to Rise: 45-60 minutes

You will need:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • 2/3 cup warm water

Steps:

Coat a medium bowl with olive oil. Combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add olive oil and water until dough forms.

Shape into a smooth ball and roll around to coat it in oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes until double in size.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil or spray and sprinkly with cornmeal. On a lightly floured surface, roll and strech dough until it is your desired size. Transfer dough to the baking sheet and lightly brush with olive oil. Bake 12- 15 minutes until golden brown.

Top with desired toppings and serve.

Easy Flatbread Ideas:

  • Roman style – olive oil, arugula, fresh grated parmesan cheese, dash of salt
  • Basalmic glaze & goat cheese – caramelized onions, basalmic glaze, goat cheese
  • Baba Ghanoush – baba ganoush, cherry tomatoes, toasted hazelnuts, fresh mint
  • Tomato Antipasti – sun-dried tomato pesto, tomato slices, prosciutto, arugula, basalmic vinaigrette, provolone cheese
  • Greek style – olive oil, feta, mint, tomatoes, black olives