Cream Of Mushroom Pastina

If you ever decide to venture off to culinary school, one of the first soups you’ll learn to make is cream of mushroom. While it's a canned favorite, there are many reasons to master this classic soup. It’s easy to make as a cozy dinner for two or for a larger group; it can be dressed up with sautéed mushrooms and beautiful herbs, or dressed down with a little cracked black pepper and grated cheese. I wanted to simulate what cream of mushroom should be via a one-pot pasta scenario, and this vegetarian dinner was born.

Acini di pepe is one of my favorite versions of “pastina.” The texture of these little balls hold their own against a rich sauce of pureed mushrooms and heavy cream in this recipe. If you're tempted to reach for a can of cream of mushroom soup, just don't. With plenty of garlic, sweet shallot, and Pecorino Romano, you’ll be putting the can back on the shelf for good.

The mushrooms:
I weigh out the mushrooms in this recipe to make sure there’s enough for the puree and the sautéed pieces. The pasta is super-creamy, and you’ll appreciate some texture from caramelized mushrooms.

The broth:
Add the vegetable broth in 2 parts. If you feel 1 1/3 cups isn’t enough, add another 2/3 cup until it’s cooked to al dente. The mixture should be wavy when you run your wooden spoon through it at this point.

Storage:
Store the cream of mushroom pastina in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can store the sautéed mushrooms mixed into the pastina or separately if you want to use them only as a garnish. If you plan to make this ahead and reheat, stop at step 5 before adding the cream and cheese. This way, you don’t risk the cream mixture breaking and you’ll have liquid to help reheat the pastina.

Make this recipe and let me know how it went in the comments!