There is much to be said for the power of comfort food—but I won’t. The last hundred paws of a brisk and long walk with poodles included a debate to introduce the Cotswold to pastina. I did, then said a prayer to my ancestors. It was delicious. Sometimes I like to get fancy like that with the pastina..

Fancy little stars*

Pour about one-third of a box of pastina into a small pot of boiling water and let cook until just before al dente. Drain the water through a colander—with small enough holes so you won’t lose your stars down the drain—and return pastina to the small pot. Adjust the burner to halfway of what it took to boil the water. Add a pat of good butter, a quick pour of skim milk, and about equal shavings—not too much, maybe a tablespoon or so—of the Cotswold and the eighteen month old cheddar. Stir with a slant edge wood spatula until everything is well-mixed and serve in your favourite bowl with cracked piper and a lot of shakes from the XXXhot bottle.

It’s not a photo ready dish—well nor am I—but it looks about like this, without the XXXhot (which might upset some folks if I post that pic).

Buen provecho..

I think I’ll stick with comfort redux theme and prepare my version of my sister, mother, and grammarays’ pasta fagiolis. A good meal for a chilly dogs’ day of rest. I’ll write that for you tomorrow evening when I prepare it..

*This is not a dish for bean counters and lipophobes. But it’s still good for us, especially the way I make it.