Pastina Gasiov Recipes

HEARTY BEEF VEGETABLE PASTINA SOUP

Steps:

• 1. Dice your celery, carrots and potatoes set aside. Dice your onions in separate bowl, set aside. Make sure your beef stew pieces are smaller in size to ensure even cooking.
• 2. Add your veggies to your crockpot. In a saute pan, add your oil & butter. Once heated, add your stew meat. Saute till no longer pink, than add your onions. Saute for 1-2 more minutes. Remove and add to crockpot as well.
• 3. Add your fire roasted tomatoes and thyme to the veggie/meat mixture and stir. Add your bouillon cubes, beef broth and water, salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate. Cover and let cook on low 7-8 hours. After about 6 hours or so, taste and see if you need more salt & pepper or a little more beef broth. You need enough broth to cook the pastina. If seasonings are to your taste and there is enough broth to cook your pastina with a litle to spare. Add your pastina, stir and cover again till ready in about the last 15 minutes or so...
• 4. Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread or rolls. We love slices of cheese along with the bread with this as well. Down home comfort in a bowl!!

PASTINA SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, celery, carrot and shallots and cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes, or until softened.
• Add the thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, the parmesan rind, chicken stock and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add the pasta and stir with a wooden spoon to prevent it from sticking to the pan. Return to a simmer and cook 8 to 10 minutes more, or until the pasta is cooked and the liquid is slightly thickened.
• Remove the thyme sprigs and parmesan rind. Stir in the peas. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with grated parmesan and lemon zest, if desired.

PASTINA GASIOV

Steps:

• Cook the pasta (also called pastina because it's so small) as instructed on the box.
• Drain the water out.
• If using an electric stove, you can return the pot to the stove and use the residual heat for the next part.
• If you are using a gas stove, you'll need to turn the stove on to low.
• Add the other ingredients, mixing thoroughly and stirring frequently.
• Add more cheese to taste.
• Keep it on the heat for a few minutes to make sure the eggs are cooked.

PASTITSIO

Steps:

• For the sauce, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add the beef and lamb, and saute over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until it's no longer pink, crumbling it with the back of wooden spoon. Drain off any excess liquid, add the wine, and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the garlic, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, and cayenne, and continue cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40 to 45 minutes. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the bechamel, heat the milk and cream together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until simmering. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly for 2 minutes. Pour the warm milk and cream mixture into the butter and flour mixture, whisking constantly. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth and thick. Add the nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Stir in 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of the tomato and meat sauce, and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the eggs and yogurt and set aside.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Don't over-cook because the pasta will later be baked. Drain and set aside.
• Add the pasta to the meat and tomato sauce, and pour the mixture into a baking dish. Spread the bechamel evenly to cover the pasta and sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake for 1 hour, until golden brown and bubbly. Set aside for 10 minutes and serve hot.

TOFFEE RAT ONNA STICK - FROM NANNY OGG'S COOKBOOK

Steps:

• You will also need: brown thread (for non-edible whiskers- optional) and 4 toffee apple sticks.
• Break the Marzipan into 4 equal pieces and shape into rats.
• Trim the bootlace to size and insert appropriately for tails.
• Coat the bodies with a thin layer of toffee spread and roll them in the chocolate sprinkles to give the effect of fur.
• Use a small blob of icing for the eyes.
• If doing whiskers cut a few 5 cm lengths of thread and 'sew' them through the nose.
• Gently push a stick up each-- er, rat, making sure it is secure.
• It's all a bit dreadful, isn't it?.
• Bust still much better than using a real rat.
• In a heavy bottoms pan dissolve the sugar in the water and cook over a medium heat until it's golden brown (warning this gets very hot so be careful!).
• When it's ready turn off the heat and quickly coat each rat in it- do NOT use a pastry brush as it will melt!
• Place the rats in a cool dry place to set.

BRODO DI POLLO CON PASTINA (CHICKEN SOUP WITH PASTINA)

Steps:

• Place the chicken and 10 cups of water in a large pot. Partly cover and bring to a boil over high heat, keeping a close eye so that it doesn't overflow and skimming off any foam that rises to the top.
• Add the onion, olive oil, salt, garlic powder and pepper; stir and allow to come back up to a gentle boil. Cover completely, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, garlic and tomato paste, stirring to incorporate the tomato paste. I ncrease the heat to high and allow to come back up to a gentle boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as desired.
• Remove the cooked chicken and place in a large bowl. Add the pastina to the soup, stir and increase the heat to high and allow to come back up to a gentle boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the pasta according to the package instructions for al dente, stirring occasionally.
• While the pasta cooks, shred the chicken with a fork. Add the shredded chicken and parsley to the soup, stir, cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Serve topped with grated Parmesan.