Why Pastina Soup Is Known As 'Italian Penicillin'

When we're sick, we don't have the energy or the brain capacity to do very much. On a regular Tuesday night, maybe you're in the mood for grilled salmon and veggies, but feeling under the weather makes preparing such a meal seem like an impossible task. While there are a variety of foods that people turn to when they feel sick, a staple in any Italian or Italian-American household is a piping hot bowl of pastina soup, also sometimes known as "Italian penicillin." This easy pasta soup is well-known for its ability to "cure" just about any sickness, or at least that's what any Nonna will tell you as they whip up a bowl and shove it onto your lap.

Pastina directly translates to "little pasta" and typically comes in star shapes about the size of a grain of rice. Though the soup goes by many different names in many different households — some call it "magic soup," some refer to it as "sick pasta," while others name it "feel better soup" — its mystical healing effect is always the same (just like chicken noodle soup, the other sick day staple). Despite sometimes being called "Italian penicillin" — thanks to its association with being consumed while sick and its general reputation for healing illnesses — pastina soup (obviously) doesn't have any actual medicine in it. At least, not the kind you'd get a prescription for.

Pastina soup has a long history of being used to aid a number of ailments. The warm broth can not only help increase hydration, but also soothe a sore throat. The pastina itself is relatively plain and easily digestible, making it a good source of nutrients and energy if you have an upset stomach. This otherwise unassuming soup has been an Italian tradition for generations, but as with any tradition, it's evolved over the years.

Not only is pastina soup known by many names, but there are also many, many variations of it. The most basic recipe for serving pastina is to boil it like normal pasta and serve it with butter and a sprinkle of parmesan. Pastina soup adds broth and often combines the tiny star-shaped pasta with vegetables and a bit more seasoning. Other recipes get creative with toppings, or mix in interesting sauces and chunks of chicken, but these are deviations from the classic Italian cure-all soup. Whether made with rich chicken broth or served simply with butter and cheese, pastina continues to capture the hearts of sick children (and adults) across the globe.