Romagna, Emilia-Romagna
Passatelli are Romagna's winter soup: a dough of Parmigiano Reggiano, day-old bread, egg, nutmeg, lemon zest, and a tablespoon of flour pressed through a special iron with large holes directly into simmering capon or beef broth. The dough threads cook in the broth in under 2 minutes and should be served immediately — they continue absorbing broth on standing and turn mushy. When fresh, they are yielding but have structure, deeply savoury from the cheese.
Yielding, deeply savoury cheese-and-breadcrumb threads floating in a golden capon broth — Romagna's winter tonic, demanding good broth and perfect timing
{"Ratio: 100g Parmigiano : 100g fine breadcrumb : 2 eggs : nutmeg, lemon zest; mix and rest 30 min minimum","Dough must hold its shape pressed into a ball — too loose and it disperses in the broth","Broth must be at a rolling simmer before pressing the passatelli through","Cook 90 seconds only; ladle immediately with broth into pre-warmed bowls","The passatelli iron (ferro per passatelli) has holes 5–7mm — smaller holes give a finer result"}
{"A small amount of marrow mixed into the dough (the Bolognese variant) adds depth","Fine white breadcrumbs, not coarse — fine crumb makes a silkier passatello","Passatelli in brodo is only as good as the broth; a limp broth makes a limp dish"}
{"Broth not hot enough — passatelli dissolve into the broth rather than holding shape","Resting on a tray before cooking — they dry and become dense","Pre-cooking and reheating — the texture is irreversibly lost"}
La Cucina Romagnola — Paolo Ghedini