Chef Alex Palermo's Classic Pastina with Quail Eggs
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 20 minutes
- Serves: 2
Chef Alex Palermo brings the warmth of an Italian childhood to your kitchen with this silky, deeply comforting bowl. Flavourful chicken stock is slowly absorbed by tiny pastina, building a naturally creamy base before Spring Creek quail eggs are cracked right in — their richness melting into the hot pasta to create something impossibly smooth. Finished with butter, Parmigiano Reggiano, and a crack of black pepper, it's simple food at its most satisfying.
Ingredients
- 200g pastina
- 750ml–1L stock (chicken or vegetable)
- 6–8 Spring Creek quail eggs
- 50g butter
- 60g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated, plus extra to finish
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- Fresh herbs, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
Bring the chicken stock to a gentle simmer in a medium saucepan.
Add the pastina and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente — allowing it to slowly absorb the stock and develop a naturally creamy texture.
Once the pastina is al dente and most of the stock has been absorbed, remove from heat.
Add the butter and Parmigiano Reggiano, stirring until fully melted and emulsified.
Crack in the quail eggs and mix quickly into the hot pastina. The residual heat will gently cook the eggs, creating a silky, glossy finish.
Serve immediately, finished with freshly cracked black pepper, extra Parmigiano, and fresh herbs if desired.
Want to make it vegetarian? Use vegetable stock instead!
