Blue Cheese on the Side Please

Pastina soup, or as some call it “penicillin” soup. Although, that is just a negative association for me. 🤪

-6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
-1 medium yellow onion, sliced into large pieces
-2 carrots, peeled and sliced into large pieces
-2 celery ribs, sliced into large pieces
- 1 parmesan rind (about 2-inches long)
-Kosher salt to taste
-1 ½ cup of any tiny pasta variety, like alphabet, orzo, or acini di pepe- I used gluten free orzo
-1 tbsp each of thyme, tumeric and garlic powder
-¼ cup finely chopped parsley or cilantro, for garnish
-Grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions:



Simmer the broth. In a large pot with a lid, stir together the broth, onion, carrots, celery, parmesan rind, seasonings, and a pinch of salt. Turn the heat to high to bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cover. Simmer until the vegetables are very tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
Puree the vegetables. Discard the parmesan rind, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a food processor or use an immersion blender. Add a couple ladles of the broth and blend until the vegetables are fully smooth. Scrape the purreed vegetables back into the pot.
Boil the pasta. Turn the heat to high to bring the broth to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the pastina. Cook until the pasta is tender, about 3 minutes or so. Remove the soup from the heat.
Serve. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning, adding more salt if it tastes flat. Ladle the pastina into serving bowls. Finish each bowl with a sprinkle of parsley and grated parmesan cheese and serve hot. Add boiled chicken (shredded) or rotisserie.

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