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During the cold winter months, soul-healing comfort food is what the doctor ordered, and that's exactly what this cozy noodle soup is. Italian Penicillin soup (also known as Nonna's Penicillin soup) gets its name from how nourishing and comforting every spoonful is. It heals you when your body hurts, eases those winter blues, or comforts you when you’re a little homesick for nonna. I always grew up eating pastina en brodo (little pasta in broth), and both of my grandmothers would make it their own way. While I took some inspiration from my family's versions (an egg drop for extra comfort and protein was a non-negotiable), here's how I developed my own take on this cozy soup.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
First, cook the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, 6 cups broth, and 2 1/2 tsp. salt until the vegetables are tender. They should be tender enough that you can puree slightly with an immersion blender. It will take 25 to 30 minutes.
It’s easier to use an immersion blender so you don’t have to transfer the soup; otherwise, carefully transfer to a standard blender. Blend until the broth is light orange in color but there are still small pieces of vegetables left floating around.
At this point, you’ll want to add the additional 2 cups broth, stir in 1 Tbsp. butter, and season to taste. The butter is going to add a velvety texture and is a great way to finish off the soup. Bring the soup back up to a simmer over medium heat and prepare your eggs.
Whisk the eggs, cheese, and parsley in a small bowl and slowly pour into the simmering soup, allowing small bits and strands of cooked eggs to float to the top.
While you’re making the soup, you can cook your acini di pepe until al dente. Drain the acini di pepe and stir in some butter.
The soup should be spooned over the top of the acini di pepe instead of added directly into the soup to prevent overcooking the pasta in the hot broth. You’ll want to add more cheese and fresh herbs on top as well!
The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
The soup can be made 5 days ahead. Let cool, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. The broth can be made 2 months ahead; store in a freezer-safe container and freeze.
carrots, peeled, cut into 1/4" rounds (about 1 1/2 cups)
celery ribs, cut into 1/4" pieces (about 1 cup)
medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
low-sodium chicken broth, divided
kosher salt, plus more
unsalted butter, softened, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
large eggs
finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for serving
finely chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
acini di pepe or other pastina
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