Creamy Spring Pastina
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 15 min
- Cook time: 20 min
- Serving: 4
- Note + 1.5 hours of chilling the butter in the fridge
PRESENTATION
So, here's the deal: creamy spring pastina is an easy pastina dish that really brings out the fresh side of Italian comfort food. I mean, in Italy, pastina is usually a cozy meal for colder days. But, guess what? This version totally flips the script. With tender green peas and crisp young zucchini, it has all those light and bright flavors that scream springtime. Really, what makes this spring pastina recipe pop is using butter flavored with scallions. It chills until firm, then melts into the hot pasta at the end—releasing aromatic goodness everywhere. You end up with a bowl of creamy, smooth pastina that's not heavy. Seriously. Instead, it has this lush, almost silky texture that feels a bit fancy—without being fussy.
Folks in different parts of Italy, and you know this, might mix in things like asparagus or even fresh herbs. So, you can play around with what's in season or what you have on hand. Pretty simple. Adding the green veggies at just the right moment keeps them bright and a little crunchy. And every bite is kinda fresh and exciting. The whole thing comes together in a flash, making it a go-to quick pastina meal for busy nights or lazy weekends.
Some people compare it to creamy pasta primavera, but the small pasta shapes make it extra comforting and moist—almost like a hug in a bowl. That scallion butter trick? It is a real game changer—it infuses the whole dish with an herby kick and just enough richness. If you want to switch it up, try tossing in a handful of other spring veggies or swap in some different cheese for a new spin. Honestly, whether you grew up with pastina or it's something new, this creamy pastina is a fun way to taste Italian tradition with a fresh, modern twist. People all over Italy love putting their own spin on pastina, and this spring version is a fantastic way to be creative while keeping things super super tasty and creamy. Enjoy this great Italian dish that's both traditional and modern, bringing a bit of sunshine to your table.
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- INGREDIENTS
- Pasta 11.5 oz (320 g) - barley seeds
- Peas 1.3 cups (200 g) - Approximately 1 1/4 cups
- Zucchini 7 oz (200 g)
- Spring onions 1
- Stracciatella cheese 1.8 oz (50 g)
- Butter 4 ½ tbsp (65 g)
- Lemon juice 1.3 tbsp (20 g)
- Grana Padano PDO cheese 1.4 oz (40 g)
- Basil to taste
How to prepare Creamy Spring Pastina
To prepare the creamy spring pastina, chop the green part of the scallion and measure out about 20 g (about 0.7 oz; roughly 3 tbsp) 1, then place 60 g of softened butter, cut into pieces, in a bowl (about 4 tbsp, 2.1 oz) and add the chopped scallion greens 2, mix well to combine 3.
You should obtain the consistency of a workable but not melted cream 4, then lay 2 sheets of plastic wrap on your work surface and pour the butter-and-scallion mixture onto them 5, then roll it up into a tightly closed log 6 and freeze it in the freezer for about 1 hour to 1 hour and a half.
Slice the white part of the scallion 7, cut the green part of the zucchini 8 and cut into 0.5 centimetre cubes (about 0.2 inches — roughly 1/4 inch) 9.
Heat 5 g of butter in a small saucepan (about 1 tsp, 0.18 oz) 10, add the scallion 11, season with salt and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
At this point add the zucchini 13 and cook everything together for 7 to 8 minutes, then add the pasta 14 and the peas 15.
Continue by adding hot water 16 to bring everything to doneness, seasoning with salt only at the end; it will take about 7 minutes. At the end of cooking, take the scallion butter from the fridge and cut it into pieces 17. Finish the pastina with lemon juice 18.
Toss with grated cheese 19 and the scallion butter 20, stirring to season 21.
Serve the creamy spring pastina immediately 22 with little spoonfuls of burrata and fresh basil leaves 23 34.