Meatless Monday: Creamy Pastina
by May 22nd, 2011 // Dinner, Veggie Friendly
Meatless Monday: Creamy Pastina
I’ll admit it. I’m not so great at keeping up with the latest beauty trends. Part of it is laziness, part of it is being a mom but most of it is because my friend, Sonya, does all the work for me on her awesome blog, Parlor. Sonya is also super crafty and an excellent cook. Recently, she told me about a pasta dish she’s been making with her kid. It’s a lot like mac and cheese but with added protein and deliciousness. Here’s Sonya to tell you about it… Hello there, it’s Sonya again from Parlor. A year or so ago, I was having a conversation about picky toddlers with a friend of mine who happens to be Italian. He shared a great recipe with me that he said both his girls are crazy about.
As Rebecca mentioned, this creamy, delicious meal is like a protein-packed twist on mac & cheese. Best of all, the ingredients are cupboard/refrigerator staples so it’s a great fall-back dinner when you need something quick and healthy.
I always call it “pastina” even though I don’t always use the little star shaped pasta that the dish is named after. I usually serve this entree with a side of peas.
Creamy Pastina Recipe
Ingredients:
½ c pastina pasta or any teeny pasta variety (I used mini shells)
1 egg, beaten
2 t milk
1-2 T grated parmesan cheese
1 t butter or margarine (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste
1. Cook pasta in boiling water according to package instructions.
2. While pasta is cooking, beat egg with milk.
3. Drain pasta and return to stove. Add the egg mixture and stir with
a fork over low heat until the egg is cooked, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in parmesan cheese and butter, season with salt and pepper, and serve.
Wondering if your little guy would like hummus on pasta? Substituting hummus is a nutrient-packed way to make a very similar taste to cream sauces. Of course, nothing beats the real thing!
I add chickpeas to our mac n cheese, as well as a touch of dry mustard and cheddar cheese. It becomes a complete protein with the combination of beans and pasta, and is yum!!!
Awesome! I make a similar dish all the time, but I was always afraid people would think my egg pasta sauce was weird if I told them about it. Now I can call it by it’s fancy Italian name