Pastina Stew 

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A nurturing stew for the child in you.

Suggestions:

Pastina is the generic name for tiny pasta usually used in soups. Use pasta alphabets, little shells or tiny circles in this recipe.

Ingredients:

4 cup water

4 tsp vegetable stock powder

1/2 cup diced zucchini

1/2 cup diced carrots

1/2 cup diced squash (optional)

1/2 cup baby corn, in 1/4 inch pieces

1/2 cup green peas

1/2 cup diced firm tofu

1 cup cooked pastina

Directions:

Add stock powder to water and bring to a boil in a medium saucepan.

Add the carrots; decrease heat to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the carrots are just tender.

Add the zucchini, corn and squash. Simmer for another 5 minutes, or until all the vegetables are perfectly tender.

Stir in the peas, tofu, and cooked pasta, and simmer for just a couple of minutes longer.

Serve hot.

Variations:

Sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese over the soup just before serving (fat content will increase slightly).

Non-vegetarian variation: Substitute chicken broth and some cooked smoked chicken for the vegetable broth and tofu (fat content will increase slightly).

Serving suggestions and garnishes are not included in the nutritional information.

Author:

Family Health Publications

Member Comments: (1)

By: njane - 2010-08-24
Stock powder is very high in salt (and doesn''t taste very nice). Instead of water and stock powder use 4 cups of a salt reduced ''real stock'' product or better still, make your own stock by simmering a kilo of skinless chicken drumsticks in about 3 litres of water with a couple of roughly chopped carrots, onions, celery stick, garlic gloves, bay leaves and some peppercorns for an hour or so. Take out the drumsticks, pull off the meat and keep it for your soup and boil the stock for another 20 to reduce. You can freeze it in 1cup portions.