Pastina al Formaggino
(pah-STEE-nah ahl for-mah-JEE-noh)
La Cura: The Healing Bowl and Sick Day Comforts
Every Italian kid knows this bowl as the universal cure for a cold, a broken heart, or a brutal Tuesday. The secret to the real thing isn't boiling pastina in a giant pot of water; it’s cooking it like risotto in savory broth until it releases all its starch, then aggressively stirring in soft cheese entirely off the heat. Since Italy’s iconic Formaggino MIO is prohibitively expensive to ship stateside, The Laughing Cow wedges serve as the perfect molecular stand-in. They melt into a luxurious, glossy emulsion that tastes exactly like an Italian grandmother's kitchen, demanding nothing more than fifteen minutes of your time.
Before you start
Bring the stock to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan.
Keep it warm over low heat on a back burner so it doesn't drop the temperature of the pan when you add it to the pasta.
Ingredients
- low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock4 cup
- dry pastina1 cup
- The Laughing Cow Original cheese wedges4 med
- Parmigiano-Reggiano1/2 cup
- extra virgin olive oil1 tsp
- kosher salt1/4 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
Method
- 01
Toast the dry pastina in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat for one to two minutes until it smells faintly nutty.
This quick, dry toast deepens the flavor of the final dish without adding any extra fat.
- 02
Pour in two cups of the warm broth and cook the pasta like risotto, stirring frequently.
As the pastina absorbs the liquid and releases its starch, continue adding the remaining broth half a cup at a time until the pasta is tender and suspended in a thick, starchy base, which should take about eight to ten minutes.
- 03
Remove the pot completely from the heat source and let it rest untouched for exactly three minutes.
This is the grandmother's secret; if you add the cheese while the pot is boiling, the proteins will seize into a stringy, greasy mess.
- 04
Drop in the soft cheese wedges and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, then stir vigorously with a wooden spoon.
This mechanical agitation binds the fats from the cheese with the starchy broth, transforming the liquid into an incredibly rich, glossy sauce.
- 05
Taste for seasoning and serve immediately in shallow, warm bowls.
Drizzle with a drop of high-quality extra virgin olive oil, and if the pastina thickens too much while sitting, loosen it up with a quick splash of leftover hot broth.
Notes
The three-minute rule is non-negotiable.
Adding processed dairy and Parmigiano to a boiling pot causes the proteins to denature rapidly. Stepping away and letting the temperature drop ensures a flawless emulsion.
Choose the right pastina shape.
Orzo, Stelline (little stars), and Acini di Pepe all work beautifully here, but be prepared to slightly adjust the total broth volume depending on how thirsty your specific pasta shape is.
From Cook Italian in America.