Dede's Beef Pastina Soup

1 and 1/2 cups celery in 1/4" to 1/2" dice
1 large onion, in large dice
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, partially drained
1/2 pound stew beef in 1/2" dice (can use leftover pot roast!)
3 cans beef broth (or substitute broth from the roast for part of the broth)
1 broth can water
1 or 2 bay leaves
Salt & Pepper to taste
cooked Pastina (cooked and rinsed)

Brown beef in a little oil in large soup pot. Add onion and celery and saute' for a few
minutes. Add broth, water, tomatoes and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce
heat and simmer until beef and vegetables are very tender. Add cooked pastina a
little at a time, stirring, until desired proportion of pasta is achieved .

Note: cooking and rinsing the pastina makes the broth remain more clear, which was the final 'trick' to
figuring out this soup – seemed so simple AFTER I figured it all out. Was served in a local restaurant

and I am glad I DID figure it out – the place is now GONE.

Sure you can can it. Process at the time for meats – 75 minutes for pints, 90 minutes for quarts at 10 lbs. (adjust for your altitude). Take out the bay leaf :)

I confess I canned it with a very small amount of pastina. Canning pasta is a quality issue not a safety issue with tiny amounts. With larger amounts it becomes a safety issue due to density and heat penetration. Now the USDA police may be looking for me  

I blanched the pastina and added about a Tbsp. per pint. It came out very nice.

anonymous

lolol

What's pastina??  

WV_Hills said:

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!  Open up! It's the USDA POLICE! 

OH NO THEY FOUND ME 

Shells said:

Its itty bitty pasta bits ….. I would think that you could also use orzo, which would only be slightly bigger.

Yes, you could. I LOVE orzo :)

dede