Pastina with Egg

Pastina with egg is a traditional Italian comfort food that uses just a few simple ingredients. Topped with crispy prosciutto, this easy recipe is done in less than 20 minutes and is a hit with both adults and young children alike.

Pastina, in Italian, literally means "little pasta". In Italy, it tends to refer to any small pasta shape, where as in the United States, it refers to a tiny star shaped pasta that is sometimes called stelline. This tiny pasta is actually the smallest shape of all the pastas and is perfect by itself or in soup recipes.

This recipe makes for a delicious breakfast, easy lunch or comforting dinner and doesn't take a long time to make. My family loves it served with italian pesto bread or creamy tomato soup.

Jump to:

• 🧀 Ingredient notes
• 📋 Substitutions and variations
• 🔪 Step by step instructions
• ⭐ Expert tips
• 🥡 Storage suggestions
• 🍝 More Italian recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

🧀 Ingredient notes

• Pastina - This tiny pasta the shape of little stars is sometimes hard to find in stores. I have been able to find pastina online or you can also substitute with other smaller pastas, such as acini de pepe, anelli, orzo or even alphabet pasta.
• Prosciutto - This thinly sliced Italian dry cured ham is served crispy on top of the creamy pastina. Bacon, pancetta or ham can be used as a substitute.
• Cheese - I like adding parmesan cheese for a little bit of a salty flavor and to make this pastina with egg extra creamy. Asiago or pecorino romano would also be good options.
• Egg - The egg is "tempered" into the pastina to make a rich, creamy taste and texture. Tempering is the process of slowly warming up the egg so that it doesn't curdle when you add it to the hot pastina. 

📋 Substitutions and variations

• Creamy - Add a pat of butter or a splash of milk over the top for an extra creamy dish.
• Vegetarian - Omit the prosciutto and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

🔪 Step by step instructions

First, rip the prosciutto into thin pieces and cook it in a pot or dutch oven until it is crispy. Remove it and allow it to drain on a paper towel.

In that same pot, add the chicken broth and bring it to a boil, scraping the bottom to remove any stuck on bits. Once the broth boils, add the pastina and cook for 6-7 minutes until it is "al dente", meaning that it is cooked through but still has a slight bite to it.

Remove the pasta off of the heat and slowly add ½ cup of the pastina to the beaten eggs while stirring until it is incorporated. Slowly mix the pastina and egg back into the pot until it is all combined.

Once the egg is mixed in, stir in the parmesan cheese and black pepper. Serve the pastina with egg warm, topped with the crispy prosciutto.

⭐ Expert tips

• Stir the prosciutto frequently to break it up so it doesn't clump or stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.
• Make sure to stir the pastina occasionally as it is cooking to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Don't skip tempering in the eggs or the heat from the pasta will possibly curdle the eggs when you add it.
• This recipe makes about 6 cups of pastina which will serve about 6 people for a small portion or side dish and about 4 people for a larger dinner type portion.

🥡 Storage suggestions

Leftovers should be cooled completely and then stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stored like this, the pastina with egg will keep for 3-5 days and can be reheated in a pot on the stovetop over medium low heat. A little bit of milk or butter can be added if the mixture is too thick.

For a quick overview of this recipe, check out my web story for this italian pastina with crispy prosciutto!

🍝 More Italian recipes

If you loved this recipe for pastina with egg, check out these other italian comfort foods that I know you will love too!

• Homemade Alfredo Sauce
• Baked Mostaccioli con Ricotta
• Italian Style Meatloaf

📖 Recipe