Chef Graziella
Agnolotti del Plin
The pinched pasta of Piedmont, each tiny parcel sealed with thumb and forefinger, filled with braised meat that has surrendered to hours of slow cooking. Butter or broth. Nothing more.
Culinary Explorer
A cooking platform built around craft, culture, and the stories behind what we eat.
Passatelli in Brodo
Created by
Breadcrumbs, aged Parmigiano, and eggs pressed directly into simmering broth. The first food of my childhood in Romagna, and the last food I would give up.
Main Dishes
Italian, Romagnol
Comfort Food
Make Ahead
30 min
Active Time
3 hr 30 min cook•4 hr total
Yield6 servings
Passatelli is not pasta, though it acts like pasta. It is not a dumpling, though it has that softness. It is something else entirely: breadcrumbs bound with Parmigiano-Reggiano and egg, pushed through a special press directly into simmering broth, where it cooks in under two minutes and must be eaten at once.
Every grandmother in Romagna makes passatelli. They argue about whether to add lemon zest (I say yes), whether beef marrow belongs in the mixture (I say no), and whether the broth should be chicken or capon (capon if you can find one, chicken if you cannot). These arguments have continued for generations. They will continue after we are gone.
The dish cannot wait. Passatelli begin absorbing broth the moment they hit the bowl. Within five minutes they swell and soften. Within ten they become something else, still edible but not the same. You call your family to the table before you press the dough. They come immediately or they miss it.
Simple does not mean easy. The dough must be exactly right: firm enough to hold together in the press, soft enough to cook through quickly. The broth must simmer, never boil. The timing must be precise. These are not difficulties. They are the conditions of the dish.
Passatelli emerged in the provinces of Romagna, Marche, and parts of Umbria, where Parmigiano-Reggiano was abundant and stale bread was never wasted. The dish appears in regional cookbooks from the late 19th century but was certainly made in farmhouse kitchens long before anyone thought to write it down. The iron press, with its distinctive wide holes, became a wedding gift passed from mother to daughter.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
whole chicken or capon
Quantity
1 (about 4 pounds)
beef bones with marrow
Quantity
1 pound
carrots
Quantity
2 medium
scrubbed and halved
celery stalks with leaves
Quantity
2
halved
yellow onion
Quantity
1 medium
halved and studded with 2 whole cloves
ripe tomato
Quantity
1
halved
whole black peppercorns
Quantity
6
flat-leaf parsley stems
Quantity
1 small bunch
kosher salt
Quantity
to taste
fine dry breadcrumbs
Quantity
1 1/2 cups (about 150 grams)
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Quantity
1 1/2 cups (about 150 grams)
freshly grated
large eggs
Quantity
3
nutmeg
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
freshly grated
lemon zest
Quantity
from 1 small lemon
finely grated
fine sea salt
Quantity
pinch
Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving
Quantity
for the table
freshly grated
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| whole chicken or capon | 1 (about 4 pounds) |
| beef bones with marrow | 1 pound |
| carrotsscrubbed and halved | 2 medium |
| celery stalks with leaveshalved | 2 |
| yellow onionhalved and studded with 2 whole cloves | 1 medium |
| ripe tomatohalved | 1 |
| whole black peppercorns | 6 |
| flat-leaf parsley stems | 1 small bunch |
| kosher salt | to taste |
| fine dry breadcrumbs | 1 1/2 cups (about 150 grams) |
| Parmigiano-Reggianofreshly grated | 1 1/2 cups (about 150 grams) |
| large eggs | 3 |
| nutmegfreshly grated | 1/4 teaspoon |
| lemon zestfinely grated | from 1 small lemon |
| fine sea salt | pinch |
| Parmigiano-Reggiano for servingfreshly grated | for the table |
Equipment Needed
- •Passatelli press (ferro per passatelli) or potato ricer with large holes
- •Large 8-quart stockpot
- •Fine-mesh sieve and cheesecloth
- •Large mixing bowl
Instructions
- 1
Start the brodo
Place the chicken and beef bones in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water by three inches, about five quarts. Set over medium-high heat and bring slowly to a simmer. This takes 30 to 40 minutes. Do not let it boil. As foam rises to the surface, skim it away with a ladle. Continue skimming until no more foam appears. This patient removal of impurities is what makes a clear, golden broth.
Starting with cold water and heating slowly extracts more flavor and produces a clearer broth. Rushing this step with hot water yields murky results. - 2
Add aromatics and simmer
Once the broth is skimmed, add the carrots, celery, clove-studded onion, tomato, peppercorns, and parsley stems. Reduce heat to maintain the gentlest simmer, with bubbles barely breaking the surface. Simmer uncovered for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The broth should reduce by about one-third and turn deep gold.
- 3
Strain and season
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean pot. Discard the solids or reserve the chicken meat for another use. Season the broth with salt. It should taste full and satisfying on its own. You need about 10 cups of finished broth. If you have less, add water. If more, you are fortunate.
The broth can be made days ahead and refrigerated. The fat will solidify on top and lift off easily. This is proper. Use it for cooking vegetables. - 4
Make the passatelli dough
In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and grated Parmigiano. Mix thoroughly with your hands. Make a well in the center. Add the eggs, nutmeg, lemon zest, and salt. Beat the eggs lightly with a fork, then gradually incorporate the dry mixture until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. It should hold together when squeezed but not feel wet. If too dry, add another half egg. If too wet, add breadcrumbs by the tablespoon.
- 5
Rest the dough
Turn the dough onto a clean surface and knead briefly, just until it comes together into a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This rest allows the breadcrumbs to absorb the eggs fully. The dough will be easier to press.
- 6
Prepare to press
Bring the strained broth to a steady simmer. It should bubble gently but not boil. Boiling broth makes the passatelli fall apart. Divide the dough into portions that fit comfortably in your press or potato ricer.
A traditional ferro per passatelli has holes about 5 millimeters wide. A potato ricer with the largest holes works adequately. The disk attachment of a food mill works in desperation. The result should be short worms, not threads. - 7
Press into the broth
Hold the press directly over the simmering broth. Press the dough through in one firm, steady motion, cutting the passatelli into lengths of about two inches as they emerge. Use a knife or your finger to break them cleanly. They will sink, then float when cooked. This takes 60 to 90 seconds. Work in batches if your pot is small.
- 8
Serve immediately
The moment the passatelli float and have cooked for one minute more, ladle them into warm bowls with generous amounts of the golden broth. Passatelli wait for no one. They absorb liquid and lose their texture within minutes. Pass Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table for those who want more. There is always someone who wants more.
Chef Tips
- •The breadcrumbs must be fine and dry. Stale bread ground in a food processor and dried in a low oven works better than commercial crumbs, which are often too coarse and contain additives.
- •Use Parmigiano-Reggiano aged at least 24 months. Younger cheese lacks the intensity this dish requires. Grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese contains additives that affect the texture.
- •If the passatelli break apart in the broth, the dough was too wet or the broth was boiling. Start again with a firmer dough and a gentler simmer. There is no salvaging broken passatelli.
- •In Romagna, the boiled chicken from the broth is served as a second course with salsa verde. Nothing is wasted.
Advance Preparation
- •The brodo can be made up to four days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for three months. A good broth is always worth having.
- •The passatelli dough can rest, covered, at room temperature for up to two hours. Beyond that, refrigerate it, but bring to room temperature before pressing.
- •Do not cook the passatelli until you are ready to serve. There is no holding them. This is a dish that teaches you to have your family at the table before the cooking is finished.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 450g)
Calories
340 calories
Total Fat
19 g
Saturated Fat
10 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
8 g
Cholesterol
130 mg
Sodium
1400 mg
Total Carbohydrates
15 g
Dietary Fiber
1 g
Sugars
2 g
Protein
26 g
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