Name: Red Sauce Pastina
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 1 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup pastina (or any tiny pasta like acini di pepe, orzo, or stelline); 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp butter; 2–3 clove garlic, minced; 1 piece shallot, finely chopped; 2–3 tbsp tomato paste; ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for heat); 3–4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese; ½ cup heavy cream (optional, for a creamier version); 1–2 cup water or broth (to cook the pastina)

1

Step 1In a saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. Once melted, sauté the minced garlic and chopped shallot until fragrant and softened (about 2–3 minutes).

3 minutes

2

Step 2Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes to deepen the flavor. Add red pepper flakes if using.

2 minutes

3

Step 3Pour in 1–2 cups of water or broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the pastina and reduce heat to simmer. Cook until the pastina is tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add more liquid if needed.

4

Step 4Stir in the heavy cream for extra richness and let it warm through.

5

Step 5Remove from heat and stir in grated Parmesan cheese. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste.

6

Step 6Garnish with chopped fresh basil or parsley and an extra sprinkle of cheese if desired. Serve warm and cozy!

Ingredients

Instructions