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Romagna / Emilia-Romagna · Soup

Passatelli in Brodo — Emilia-Romagna Breadcrumb Pasta in Broth

Passatelli in brodo are short rustic strands made from breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, eggs, lemon and nutmeg, pressed directly into clear broth and cooked only until tender.

Intermediate — dough firmness must suit the press so strands hold without becoming heavy4 servings · 1 h 5 min total
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Passatelli in brodo: wide hero view of short ridged breadcrumb-and-Parmigiano pasta strands served in clear golden broth
Prep25 minutes
Cook10 minutes
Total1 h 5 min
Yield4 servings
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The dish

About Passatelli in brodo

Passatelli are a hallmark of Romagna and the broader Emilia-Romagna table. Their ingenuity comes from transforming pantry staples—dry breadcrumbs, aged cheese and eggs—into a pasta without ordinary flour as its main structure.

The classic dough is strongly flavored with Parmigiano, nutmeg and lemon zest. It needs a short rest so breadcrumbs hydrate fully; after resting it should be firm enough to pass through a passatelli iron or large-holed potato ricer without dissolving in broth.

The broth is not merely cooking water. A clear capon, chicken or mixed-meat broth becomes part of every serving, so it should be well flavored but not aggressively salty before the cheese-rich pasta enters it.

Passatelli cook in minutes. Once the strands rise and look slightly swollen, prolonged boiling only makes them fragile. Serve immediately with enough broth to keep the bowl light and aromatic.

Bigoli absorb sauce during the final toss. Reserved cooking water is added gradually, not all at once, until the onion and olive oil form a glossy coating around every strand. The pan should finish almost dry beneath the pasta, without a separate oily puddle.

Technique

Three things that matter

  • Use very fine dry breadcrumbs. Uniform crumbs hydrate evenly and pass cleanly through the press.
  • Rest the dough. Thirty minutes lets the breadcrumbs absorb egg and become pressable rather than crumbly.
  • Cook gently. A steady simmer protects the short strands from breaking apart.
Cook the dish

Ingredients

Everything needed to prepare the dish, arranged for fast scanning before cooking.

Ingredients

Passatelli dough

  • 150 gfine dry breadcrumbsfrom plain stale bread, not seasoned crumbs
  • 150 gParmigiano Reggianovery finely grated
  • 3large eggsabout 165 g without shells
  • 1 tspfinely grated lemon zestyellow part only
  • 1 gfreshly grated nutmegabout 1/2 teaspoon
  • 1 gfine sea saltonly if needed

For cooking

  • 1.5 Lclear capon or chicken brothwell strained and moderately salted
Step by step

Method

Make the dough

  1. Mix the dry base. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, lemon zest and nutmeg evenly.

    The cheese and crumbs should be uniformly distributed with no cheese clumps.

  2. Add eggs and knead. Work in the eggs until a firm cohesive dough forms. Knead by hand for 3–4 minutes, adding a teaspoon of breadcrumbs only if very sticky.

    The dough should hold together firmly when squeezed without crumbling.

  3. Rest covered. Wrap or cover and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

    The dough should feel more compact and evenly hydrated after resting.

Press and cook in broth

  1. Bring broth to a gentle simmer. Heat the strained broth in a wide saucepan and taste for salt before adding the cheese-rich pasta.

    The broth should simmer steadily without a violent rolling boil.

  2. Press the passatelli. Working in portions, press dough through a passatelli iron or large-holed ricer directly over the broth and cut strands 4–6 cm long.

    The strands should emerge intact and fall into the broth without turning to paste.

  3. Cook briefly. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, stirring only very gently, until the passatelli float and look slightly swollen.

    The strands should be tender but retain their ridged shape.

  4. Serve immediately. Ladle passatelli and clear broth into warm bowls and serve at once.

    The broth should remain clear enough to see distinct short strands.
Practical guidance

Practical guidance

Breadcrumbs

Use unseasoned crumbs from dry plain bread. Commercial crumbs containing herbs, sugar or oil alter both flavor and hydration.

Dough adjustment

Egg size and breadcrumb dryness vary. Correct a soft dough with a spoonful of crumbs, not a large flour addition.

Broth

A clear capon or chicken broth is classic; a good mixed-meat broth also works.

Pressing tool

A large-holed potato ricer is the most practical substitute for the traditional iron.

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

  • The dough breaks in the press. It is too dry or has not rested. Knead in a teaspoon of beaten egg and allow another 10 minutes.
  • The strands dissolve in broth. The dough is too soft or the broth is boiling violently. Add a little breadcrumb and keep only a gentle simmer.
  • The passatelli are rubbery. Too much flour was added or they were overcooked. Rely on breadcrumbs and cheese, and cook only a few minutes.
  • The soup is too salty. Parmigiano adds considerable salt. Keep the broth moderately seasoned before the pasta enters it.
Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving

  • Serving size: 1 bowl with broth
  • Calories: approximately 420 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 30 g
  • Protein: 25 g
  • Fat: 22 g
  • Fibre: 2 g
  • Sodium: approximately 1,250 mg

Broth concentration and Parmigiano are the main sources of sodium variation.

Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Contains wheat/gluten, egg and milk.

Keep eggs refrigerated until mixing and wash hands after handling raw egg.

If using homemade meat broth, cool it rapidly and refrigerate promptly; reheat to a full simmer before use.

FAQ

FAQ

Do passatelli contain flour?

Traditional versions rely primarily on breadcrumbs, Parmigiano and eggs rather than flour. A little adjustment may be used by some cooks, but it should not dominate the dough.

What can replace a passatelli iron?

A sturdy potato ricer with large holes is the most useful home substitute.

Can passatelli be made ahead?

The dough can be mixed a few hours ahead and refrigerated, but pressing and cooking immediately before serving gives the best shape.

Final note

What matters most

  • Result: Tender, ridged breadcrumb-and-Parmigiano strands floating in clear aromatic broth, with lemon and nutmeg lifting the rich cheese base.
  • Key: Let the breadcrumb dough hydrate, press it at the right firmness and simmer only gently until the strands rise.
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