Passatelli are typical pasta of Romagna and Marche and part of the province of Perugia.
Probably descending from the tardura, a Romagna soup of eggs, cheese and breadcrumbs, they are prepared by mixing: egg, bread crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese (or even Fossa cheese), nutmeg, and lemon zest.
Thanks to a special perforated metal disc equipped with handles, called the “passatelli iron”, curved cylinders are obtained, which are then cooked in capon, chicken or beef broth.
Passatelli in broth are a typical dish for the end of year holidays.
In the Marche, in particular, most families prepare them for Boxing Day lunch, together with Ascoli olives and fried cremini all’Ascolana (fried cream).
At Christmas in Campania, however, unmissable…
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas
Ingredients
- 7 oz Parmesan
- 1/2 lemon
- 4 eggs
- 10 cups meat broth
- 7 oz bread crumbs
- to taste nutmeg
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Passatelli iron
Steps
Prepare a meat broth of your choice, filter it so that it is clear.
For the passatelli:
In a bowl, combine the grated parmesan and bread crumbs, the lemon zest and the nutmeg.
Add a pinch of salt and pepper and mix lightly with a fork.
Pour the beaten eggs into the bowl and knead until you obtain a soft dough. Add more salt if necessary.
Leave to rest for 20 minutes, covered with cling film.
Press on the pasta with the appropriate passatelli iron and cut the vermicelli out of it.
Boil them for a few minutes in the broth, until they float to the surface.
Serve hot with parmesan.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What can I replace the passatelli iron with?
Due to the difficulty in finding the “iron”, it is very often replaced with a potato masher with large holes and thus very long passatelli can be obtained, which are, however, more suitable for being served dry.
