Recipe: The Ultimate Italian Beef and Pastina Soup (using chuck roast)

THE ULTIMATE ITALIAN BEEF AND PASTINA SOUP

"This broda di carne (beef broth) is the soup I make when I want to feel connected to my family back home. Cooking it instantly transports me to my Nanna's kitchen in Napoli."



2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 pound chuck roast, fat trimmed away
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
I beef bouillon cube
1/4 cup tomato puree
10 cups water
4 ounces (1/2 cup) dried pastina*
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

Put a 6-quart stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the oil and let it get hot.

Season the chuck all over with the salt and some pepper. Put it in the pot and cook, turning, just until it has some color on all sides, about 6 minutes total. (The meat will not be fully cooked.) Transfer the chuck to a plate.

Add the squash, potato, zucchini, onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to take on some color, 7 to 8 minutes.

Add the bouillon cube, tomato puree, the seared chuck (along with any juices that have collected on the plate), and 10 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the beef is completely tender and falling apart, about 2 1/2 hours.

Transfer the chuck to a plate or bowl. Once it is cool enough to handle, use two forks to shred the meat into bite-size pieces.

Scoop out all of the vegetables with a slotted spoon and pass them through a food mill, or process in a blender or food processor and then pass through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the solids. Discard the solids left in the food mill or strainer.

Return the vegetable puree and the shredded meat to the pot of broth. Bring the soup back to a boil, stir in the pastina, and cook until it is al dente, following the package instructions. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and grate parmigiano over the top.

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To reheat, thin with a splash of stock or water.

*Pastina is the tiniest pasta, shaped into itty-bitty stars. It is often a baby's first food, and so is widely considered Italian comfort food. You can also use tiny, bead-shaped pasta, called acini di pepe, in this soup."

Makes 8 servings
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Clarkson Potter
Adapted from source: Laura in the Kitchen: favorite Italian-American recipes made easy by Laura Vitale