Chiarellos Pumpkin Pastina Food

PUMPKIN PASTINA SERVED FAMILY STYLE IN A PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut the lid off the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and fibers. Scrape away some of the flesh, especially around the top, to form a large, smooth inner cavity. Make sure to leave the shell at least 1-inch thick all around. Oil the pumpkin inside and out and season inside with salt and pepper. Replace the lid. Place on a baking sheet and bake until about 2/3's cooked but still firm enough to stand and act as the soup container, about 40 minutes. Do not over-bake. If a good deal of liquid gathers in the bottom, spoon out and discard. Set aside; it will stay warm on its own a good while.
• Bring the stock to a low simmer in a saucepan. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the onion and cook until soft but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the thyme, stir, and add 2 cups of the stock. Bring to a boil. Add the pastina, stir well, and reduce the heat to maintain a slow simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer, adding the stock 1/2 cup at a time as the previous addition is absorbed and stirring occasionally to prevent the pastina from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until the pasta is al dente, about 15 minutes. Add the roasted squash and turkey to reheat. Stir well. The consistency should be quite loose, like a thick soup. Add more stock, if necessary. Add the 1/2 cup cheese and let melt for a moment before stirring in. Taste, for seasoning.
• Ladle the pastina into the reserved pumpkin shell and garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Replace the lid and take to the table immediately.
• Variation with Greens: For a colorful and nutritious addition, cut several handfuls of winter greens such as spinach or chard into a chiffonade and stir into the pastina just to wilt before serving.

CHIARELLO'S PUMPKIN PASTINA

Steps:

• Bring the broth to a low simmer in a saucepan.
• Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the onion and cook until soft but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the thyme; stir, and add 2 cups of the simmering broth. Bring to a boil.
• Add the pastina; stir well, and reduce the heat to maintain a slow simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Add simmering broth 1/2 cup at a time as the previous addition is absorbed, and stirring occasionally to prevent the pastina from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until the pasta is al dente, about 15 minutes.
• Add the squash and turkey to reheat. Stir well. The consistency should be quite loose, like a thick soup. Add more broth if necessary. Add the 1/2 cup cheese and let melt for a moment before stirring inches Taste for seasoning. If desired, pour into hollowed-out pumpkin for serving; garnish with cheese.

PASTINA TIMBALE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Brush 8 (12-ounce) ramekins or 1 large oven-safe bowl with butter and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan and saute sausage until browned.
• Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons of the oil and the minced garlic in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook until the garlic is light brown, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the bread crumbs to the skillet and stir them every minute for 3 to 5 minutes until the crumbs are lightly toasted. Season with salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup of the parsley and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan. Cook for 30 seconds.
• Pour the bread crumb mixture into the prepared ramekins or bowl and press around the sides to line with the bread crumb mixture, using your fingers to evenly distribute it along the bottom and up the sides.
• While the Pastina Timbale Sauce is simmering, cook the pastina in the boiling salted water until just shy of al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain the pastina in a colander.
• Reheat the sauce, if needed, and add the drained pastina and then the browned sausage. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of parsley, and remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir to combine. Transfer the pastina mixture to the lined ramekins (1 1/4 cups per ramekin) or large bowl. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Invert the molded pastina timbale onto warmed individual serving plates, and serve.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a bowl, toss tomatoes and whole jalapeno chiles with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place tomato mixture on a cookie sheet and roast in oven for 15 or 20 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove from heat and finely chop the tomatoes. Transfer tomato pulp and any juices from the cutting board to a bowl. Chop the chiles and taste to determine their heat.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, season with salt, and saute until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and oregano and stir. Add the chiles and simmer for another minute, only adding as much jalapeno as you want for spice. Add the tomatoes and their juice and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and stir in the Gorgonzola. Stir in the roasted peppers and the parsley. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.

PASTINA D'AMBRODO

Steps:

• Rinse and dry the chicken thoroughly. In a large heated soup pot, place the onions, celery, carrots, and bay leaves. Add the whole chicken to the pot, and cover with enough cold water to cover almost all of the chicken. Add the tomatoes. Bring it pot up to the boil. When pot is at full boil, turn the heat down to low. Remove the scum of the broth as it forms on top with ladle. Allow to simmer for a couple of hours.
• Bring large pot of salted water to boil, add pastina and cook according to package directions.
• Remove the chicken from the broth and set aside. Place a strainer over a large serving bowl and strain the chicken broth through. Strain pastina well, before adding into the bowl with the broth. Serve immediately, top with grated Parmesan, if desired.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTINA SERVED IN A PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut the lid off the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and fibers. Scrape away some of the flesh, especially around the top, to form a large, smooth inner cavity. Make sure to leave the shell at least 1-inch thick all around. Oil the pumpkin inside and out and season inside with salt and pepper. Replace the lid. Place on a baking sheet and bake until about 2/3 cooked but still firm enough to stand and act as the soup container, about 40 minutes. Do not over-bake. If a good deal of liquid gathers in the bottom, spoon out and discard. Set aside; it will stay warm on its own for a good while.
• Bring the stock to a low simmer in a saucepan. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the onion and cook until soft but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the thyme, stir, and add the pastina. Stir and add 2 cups of heated stock. Bring the mixture up to a simmer.
• Simmer, adding the stock 1/2 cup at a time as the previous addition is absorbed and stirring occasionally to prevent the pastina from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until the pasta is al dente, about 15 minutes. Add the roasted squash and turkey to reheat. Stir well. The consistency should be quite loose, like a thick soup. Add more stock, if necessary. Add the 1/2 cup cheese and let melt for a moment before stirring in. Taste for seasoning.
• Fill the reserved pumpkin shell with the pastina. Grate Parmesan on top and replace the lid and take to the table immediately.
• You could also serve this in individual tureens using smaller pumpkins or acorn squash.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. Halve lengthwise, discard the seeds, then cut into 1-inch dice. Place in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter ceases to foam and has turned a light brown immediately add the sage, vinegar, sugar (stand back so as not to get splattered), and molasses. Mix well and let simmer over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes to meld the flavors.
• Pour the vinegar mixture over the squash and toss well. Season with salt and pepper then transfer to a heavy rimmed baking sheet or baking dish large enough to hold the squash in a single layer. Place in the preheated oven and roast, tossing at least once, until very tender and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle but still warm, so the liquids are runny.
• Working in batches, if necessary, transfer the warm squash and all the cooking liquids to a food processor and process until smooth. Use immediately, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

CHIARELLO'S CHICKEN AND PASTINA SOUP

Steps:

• Place chicken in 12-inch skillet. Add 1 carton of the broth. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170 degrees F).
• Meanwhile, in 5-quart stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.
• Drain chicken, reserving broth; set chicken aside. Strain broth; add to vegetables. Stir remaining carton of broth, the tomatoes, salt, pepper and bay leaf into stockpot. Heat to boiling. Stir in pasta. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes.
• Shred or cut chicken into bite-size pieces; add to soup. Stir in greens just until wilted. Remove bay leaf. Serve with a sprinkle of additional freshly ground pepper and the cheese.

CHIARELLO'S CHICKEN AND PASTINA SOUP

Steps:

• Place chicken in 12-inch skillet. Add 1 carton of the broth. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170 degrees F).
• Meanwhile, in 5-quart stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.
• Drain chicken, reserving broth; set chicken aside. Strain broth; add to vegetables. Stir remaining carton of broth, the tomatoes, salt, pepper and bay leaf into stockpot. Heat to boiling. Stir in pasta. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes.
• Shred or cut chicken into bite-size pieces; add to soup. Stir in greens just until wilted. Remove bay leaf. Serve with a sprinkle of additional freshly ground pepper and the cheese.

PUMPKIN PASTINA

Steps:

• Bring the broth to a low simmer in a saucepan.
• Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the onion and cook until soft but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the thyme; stir, and add 2 cups of the simmering broth. Bring to a boil.
• Add the pastina; stir well, and reduce the heat to maintain a slow simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Add simmering broth 1/2 cup at a time as the previous addition is absorbed, and stirring occasionally to prevent the pastina from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until the pasta is al dente, about 15 minutes.
• Add the squash and turkey to reheat. Stir well. The consistency should be quite loose, like a thick soup. Add more broth if necessary. Add the 1/2 cup cheese and let melt for a moment before stirring in. Taste for seasoning. If desired, pour into hollowed-out pumpkin for serving; garnish with cheese.