Stelline: Tiny pasta stars for broths and clear soups.
Stelline are tiny stars, and are one of the pasta shapes every Italian child grows up with, cooked and then drained, though not so completely as to be bone dry, and seasoned with cream cheese or something else that will give a creamy texture.
One often sees them on people who have toddlers, or finds them stuck in unexpected places in homes where toddlers reside; this may explain why many Italians shudder when they're mentioned. But they are good in soups for adults too:
Stelline in Zuppa di Asparagi e Menta -- Stelline in Asparagus-and-Mint Soup
Mince the onion and sauté it in the butter with the asparagus rounds, potato, and mint. Check seasoning, add some of the broth, and cook the mixture for 20 minutes or so. During this time boil the asparagus tips for a few minutes in a little more of the broth.
When the 20 minutes are up, blend the mixture containing the potatoes and stir it into the main broth pot together with the broth containing the asparagus tips, bring everything to a boil, add the stelline, and cook until they are done. Serve.
Cooking time for stelline: about 8 minutes
Substitutions: Grattugiate, malfattini, farfalline, orzetti
More About Pasta Shapes
One often sees them on people who have toddlers, or finds them stuck in unexpected places in homes where toddlers reside; this may explain why many Italians shudder when they're mentioned. But they are good in soups for adults too:
Stelline in Zuppa di Asparagi e Menta -- Stelline in Asparagus-and-Mint Soup
- 8 ounces (200 g) stelline
- 1 pound asparagus
- 2 potatoes
- a spring of fresh mint
- 1 quart (L) broth
- A chunk of unsalted butter the size of a walnut
- Half an onion, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Mince the onion and sauté it in the butter with the asparagus rounds, potato, and mint. Check seasoning, add some of the broth, and cook the mixture for 20 minutes or so. During this time boil the asparagus tips for a few minutes in a little more of the broth.
When the 20 minutes are up, blend the mixture containing the potatoes and stir it into the main broth pot together with the broth containing the asparagus tips, bring everything to a boil, add the stelline, and cook until they are done. Serve.
Cooking time for stelline: about 8 minutes
Substitutions: Grattugiate, malfattini, farfalline, orzetti
More About Pasta Shapes