Traditional Italian recipes feature rustic pasta and comforting soups

Traditional Italian culinary preparations include Pasta alla Burina and a classic chicken pastina soup, often referred to as ‘Italian Penicillin Soup’ for its comforting qualities.

Pasta alla Burina is a rustic dish originating from the Lazio region and Rome. It typically features egg fettuccine paired with crumbled sausage, sweet green peas, tomatoes, and a base of onion, carrot, and garlic. The sauce is deglazed with white wine and finished with Pecorino Romano cheese to provide a salty, savory profile.

The chicken pastina soup is a velvety, nonna-style dish that utilizes a soffritto of onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Techniques to enhance the broth include blending half of the vegetables for texture, blooming dried herbs in fat, and simmering a Parmesan rind to add nutty richness. The dish is completed with small pasta shapes, such as stelline or acini di pepe, and finished with lemon to brighten the flavor.