Passatelli in Brodo
- Makes4-6 servings
- Cook Time1¼ hours
- Active time plus cooling30 minutes active
- 4
In the village of Monteveglio, about 12 miles west of Bologna, Italy, we tasted delicious homemade passatelli in brodo. Paolo Parmeggiani, owner of the small restaurant/hotel Trattoria del Borgo, demonstrated the dish—made with stale bread, cheese, eggs, broth and little else—which exemplifies cucina povera, or peasant cooking. Passatelli are small, squiggly dumplings, made by extruding dough through smallish holes, that are simply poached and served in chicken broth. We found that in lieu of a traditional passatelli maker, a potato ricer with 3/16-inch perforations works well for extruding the dough. Another alternative is to use a cooling rack with a ⅜-inch wire grid (instructions are included in the recipe). To make passatelli dough, Italian cooks use stale bread processed into breadcrumbs, but since we rarely have leftover bread, we start with fresh bread and dry it in the oven. Homemade chicken broth is a cornerstone of this dish, but if store-bought is the only option, be sure to use low-sodium, and you may wish to boost its flavor by dropping a chunk of Parmesan rind into the broth as it heats.
-Editor's Note, 2/24/25: We recently redeveloped this recipe, which originally appeared in the November-December 2020 issue of Milk Street Magazine, as well as season four of Milk Street Television.
Don’t use pre-grated Parmesan or domestic Parmesan-like cheese. With so few ingredients in the passatelli, using true Parmigiano-Reggiano is essential for flavor. Purchase it in a chunk, not pre-grated, as the cheese loses freshness once it’s grated. Plus, if you buy a chunk, you will have a piece of rind to simmer in the broth as a flavor booster.
Step 1
Heat the oven to 300°F with a rack in the middle position. Distribute the bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast, stirring occasionally, until dried and crisped but not browned, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.
Step 2
In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup water, the eggs and the 2 teaspoons oil. In a food processor, process the Parmesan chunks until finely ground, about 20 seconds. Add the cooled toasted bread, the nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Process until powdery, about 1 minute. With the machine running, slowly add the egg mixture; process until smooth, about 1 minute. Let rest in the processor for 5 minutes; the mixture will thicken as it stands.
Step 3
Process for another 10 seconds. The mixture will be thick but smooth and resemble mashed potatoes. Scrape it into a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes or refrigerate for up to 1 hour; the mixture will thicken further as it stands.
Step 4
Line a rimmed baking sheet with kitchen parchment and brush the parchment with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil; set aside. In a large saucepan over medium-high, bring the broth to a boil. Transfer one-third of the dough to the hopper of a ricer with 3/16-inch perforations. Press the dough directly over the saucepan of simmering broth until it forms rough 2 to 3-inch lengths, then shake the ricer to release the dough into the broth. (Alternatively, place a rack with a ⅜-inch wire grid across the pot of simmering broth. Scoop one-third of the dough onto the center of the rack, then use a silicone spatula to press the dough through the wires, allowing the dumplings to fall into the broth; rap the rack to release the last bits of dough into the saucepan.)
Step 5
Cook the passatelli until it floats to the surface, then continue to cook for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the passatelli, letting it drain, then transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Cook the remaining dough in 2 more batches in the same way, then remove the pot from the heat. Let the passatelli rest for 10 to 20 minutes; it will firm up as it cools.
Step 6
Return the broth to a simmer over medium-high, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Divide the passatelli among individual bowls and ladle in the broth. Top each serving with grated Parmesan and grated nutmeg, then drizzle with oil.
