Canederli in Brodo (Bread Dumplings in Broth)

Stale country-style bread is the base for canederli, the rustic, generously sized dumplings that originate in the Alpine regions of northern Italy. Our version is based on the recipes we learned in the city of Trento from Mauro Pisoni and Pietro Gamboni of Pastificio Le Delizie pasta shop. Because we almost never have stale bread on hand, we put a baking sheet’s worth of bread pieces in the oven to dry them and toast them only until crisp but not browned. We then grind the bread in a food processor, leaving some pea-size bits in with the finer crumbs to help give the dumplings a little airiness. Canederli are poached and served in broth. Homemade chicken broth, with its clean flavor and color makes for an especially satisfying soup, but store-bought works, too.