Pastina al Pomodoro

By Anna Francese Gass

Updated Sept. 13, 2024

Pastina al Pomodoro
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Total Time
40 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(685)
Comments
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Pastina al pomodoro is a classic Italian dish of small pasta that is cooked in the style of risotto until creamy and comforting. Orzo is the traditional pasta of choice for this dish, as its shape resembles a grain of rice, but pastina (small pasta) can be made with several different shapes of pasta. The pasta is cooked using the risottata method: It gets toasted with aromatics in olive oil, stirred to coat in tomato sauce and then simmered until tender, gradually moistened with hot water as you would with a risotto. This process releases the starch from the pasta, giving the sauce an incredibly creamy texture and mellowing the acidity in the tomato sauce. Sauce and pasta cook simultaneously in this one-pot pastina, creating a perfect weeknight meal with little effort.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings (about 4 cups)
  • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
  • 1small yellow onion, minced
  • 1garlic clove, minced
  • 5 to 6basil leaves
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1cup orzo
  • 2cups/16 ounces tomato passata or purée
  • 1cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

356 calories; 17 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 19 grams protein; 473 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat 3 cups of water in a small saucepan; cover and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and tear in 2 basil leaves. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.

  3. Step 3

    Add the orzo and stir to coat in the oil until the pasta begins to toast, about 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in the tomato passata and ½ cup of the hot water.

  4. Step 4

    Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add another ½ cup hot water. Repeat one or two more times, until pasta is tender and saucy. (You may need only 1½ cups of hot water, or well over 2 cups.)

  5. Step 5

    Stir in the cheese; season to taste with salt and pepper.

  6. Step 6

    Divide the pastina among bowls. Top with a generous sprinkle of cheese and a drizzle of oil. Tear the rest of the basil and sprinkle on top.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
685 user ratings
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Comments

Zane

An electric kettle is your friend here if you don't feel like messing around with a saucepan and ladle for the hot water.

Dave

For anyone else confused by the term “tomato passata”, it’s just tomato puree.

Patricia

I,too, was the daughter of an Italian American mother. I think pastina with butter and sheep's milk parmesan cheese (always Locatelli brand) was my first solid food and always a favorite as I grew.

Sarah

I used a can of tomato sauce (like tomato purée) because my store doesn’t have passata, and it was tasty. Picky toddler mostly approved, but I didn’t soften the onions enough and she picked them all out. So if you have a picky kid, maybe just purée that onion!

nicole

Perfect for what it is! Comforting and simple… someone said like adult spaghetti o’s and I think that’s a perfect description. Got a glass bottle of passata from my local Italian market. I probably ate TOO much because it was easy to snack on. Would make again. The kettle suggestion was great!

Brendan Hasenstab

Thanks to the community, we gave this a try and LORDY it was tasty! As written, it was really good with 1-1/2 cups of hot water and call it 7/8ths of the cup of cheese. We will definitely be making this again, with genuine interest. It is that delicious!

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