Pasta Experts Tell Us Everything We Need To Know About Pastina, The Tiny Italian Pasta With A Very Fitting Name

Italian cuisine is one of the most popular and versatile cuisines there is. From it we get pasta, gnocchi, risotto, tiramisu, and so much more. One of the less popular Italian dishes is pastina, a name that literally translates to "small" or "tiny" pasta. Pastina is used in so many Italian soup pastas, and it is considered one of Italy's most comforting dishes.

Historically, some pastinas are named after ex-Italian colonies that have been critical to the history of Italy — for example, there are pastinas named Asabessi, Bengasine, Tripolini, and more. Also, according to Chef Riccardo Orfino from One More Hospitality, pastina became a way to not waste pasta. "Back in the day, we would do everything by hand and have left over pasta," said Orfino. "This was another way to create pasta with what is leftover — you collect, dry, and use it in a new way." Chef Orfino, along with Chef Silvia Barban of LaRina Pastificio e Vino in Brooklyn, provided us with tips on everything you need to know to use pastina in your kitchen.

Generally, pastina is any small shape of pasta — and small means up to around 2 millimeters in diameter. Pastina is the general name of this tiny pasta, but it comes in my different shapes; there are some star shapes (usually called "stelline") and some round shapes (like acini di pepe). It might not seem like the best shape of pasta, but because pastina is small, it can be treated similarly to a rice, so it can be made into dishes similar to risotto — these meals are creamy, decadent, and even cheesy.

Pastina is a comfort food for Italians and Italian-Americans — both because it reminds them of their culture and because it is a food frequently given to people when they are sick to promote healing. "In Italy, we give it to kids when they don't feel well or under-the-weather, but it's not a dish we serve often," said Chef Riccardo Orfino of One More Hospitality. In fact, Orfino notes that pastina is served more amongst United States Italians than in Italy, as it is not seen as a traditional dish.

According to Chef Silvia barban of Larina Pastificio e Vino in Brooklyn, pastina is harder to find in the United States than in Italy. In 2023, Ronzoni stopped producing pastina, which led fans of the pasta into a frenzy. But pastina is increasingly popular in recent years, so there is no reason to panic — pastina is still available from many other brands, including Barilla, Ferrara, and San Giorgio.

Ferrara pastina comes in a 1-pound bag for just $1.99, where Barilla's is in a 12-ounce box retails for $3.01. San Giorgio retails its 12-ounce box for $2.39, although prices for all brands will vary based on location. Target even sells boxes of pastina in its Good and Gather brand. Some companies also use "stelline" as the name on a box of pastina, so you should look out for that if you are interested in finding this pasta at your local grocery store.

One reason that pastina is popular is because there are many ways to make it so it tastes delicious. According to Chef Riccardo Orfino, the best way to prepare and serve pastina is in a beef broth, with beef bones to add more flavor. You can also boil the pasta and mix it with soft cheese, which Orfino says would loosen up the cheese — because of the hot pasta water — and make the pastina dish extra creamy and cheesy. That creamy texture is especially good for kids, who love the soft and easy to chew meal.

Some classic pastina recipes include; acini di pepe, which is made with olives, tomatoes, and pesto; Italian wedding soup, which is similar to a chicken noodle soup; and orzo pastina, which can be a creamy pasta dish or a refreshing Greek salad. The most classic way to make pastina is by adding an egg to the cooked pasta and adding parmesan cheese and black pepper. This is a simple way to try pastina for the first time, or an easy and quick way to have a delicious dinner.

Since pastina is such a small and delicate type of pasta, a lot of things could go wrong when you are preparing it. Chef Riccardo Orfino notes that there is one specific thing that no one should do when cooking pastina. "I don't recommend eating Pastina with traditional sauce, such as tomato sauce, since it will overwhelm the small pasta."

This is why so many pastina recipes utilize some form of a brother — either vegetable or chicken, depending on your preference. The other biggest "don't" when cooking pastina is to avoid using the wrong amount of liquid in your pastina dish. Because pastina is small, it absorbs the broth it is cooked in, so it is usually best not to drain the pastina like you would a traditional pasta — you would me losing some key flavors.

Many pastina recipes call for a lot of broth, so typically, you can expect to use anywhere from a few cups to one liter of broth in your pastina dish, depending on how many servings you're making. Generally, the ratio of broth to pasta in a pastina dish is 4-to-1.

Chef Riccardo Orfino notes that pastina is popular amongst children because it is a small shape, making it easier to eat and chew. In fact, some parents have fed their babies pastina; an eight-month-old baby who has been eating solids for a while might enjoy eating pastina, especially because it is not too different from eating oatmeal. Pastina is often one of the first solid foods a baby might eat.

If you have children at home, feeding them pastina can be an easy weeknight meal that utilizes ingredients you likely already keep on hand: the pastina, a broth, and cheese (preferably Parmesan). Like with babies try many other foods, though, your children may not love the texture at first – but most kids come around on it and begin to love it as much as they would love a dish like mac and cheese.

Like most traditional meals, there are many different ways that pastina is made. It can be made with butter and cheese to make it extra creamy, or it can be boiled in water like you would a traditional pasta. But if you are looking to add more flavor to your pastina, you could try to cook it in broth, rather than in water.

"If I make [the pastina] in broth, I like to cook the pasta inside the broth," said Riccardo Orfino. However, when Orfino chooses to cook the pastina in cheese, he cooks it the traditional way, in water.

If you are interested in trying your pastina recipe using broth, and if you do not mind not having a creamy pastina, you can try to make pastina soup. This dish usually involves using a gallon of broth and a full box of pastina, and you can add melted cheese and serve with Italian bread for a delicious meal.

Although most people who know about pastina agree that it is one of the most classic Italian dishes worth trying, people are torn about whether the pasta should be cooked al dente. Chef Silvia Barban recommends keeping the pastina al dente, while Chef Riccardo Orfino actually recommends overcooking the pastina rather than making it al dente.

The term "al dente" is a classic Italian cooking term, and most chefs and home cooks alike consider al dente to be the proper temperature of cooked pasta — this usually means that the pasta is not too soft and flimsy when you bite into it. It can be difficult to reach this exact cook for a pasta noodle. The best way to do it is to look at the noodle after you taste-test it with a bit. If there is a small bit of white at the center of the noodle — just enough to slightly notice a color difference between the outside of the pasta and the inside. The pasta should also have a firmness to it, but it should not be crunchy.

If you choose to overcook your pastina as Chef Orfino recommends, you can leave your pasta boiling until the pastina lacks all firmness. This kind of cook might be good for children or anyone who has a sore throat, as it would be soft and soothing.