Imperial Soup, a typical dish of the culinary tradition of Emilia-Romagna, particularly widespread in the areas of Bologna and Ravenna. It is a very ancient recipe, in fact, Pellegrino Artusi also mentions it in one of his cookbooks (he calls it soup made with semolina). It is a soup based on semolina, eggs, and Parmesan; these ingredients form a mixture that is baked in the oven, then cut into cubes which are immersed in boiling meat broth.
Other recipes you might be interested in:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Oven
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Emilia-Romagna
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for Imperial Soup
- 4.25 oz semolina
- 4 eggs (medium)
- 3.5 oz grated Parmesan
- 2.8 oz butter
- to taste nutmeg
- to taste salt
- 5 cups meat broth (approximately)
Recommended Tools
- Baking pan approx. 8×12 inches
- Whisk
Preparation of IMPERIAL SOUP
To make the imperial soup, about 5 cups of meat broth are needed, which can be prepared the day before (I always have a stock in the freezer).
Choose the broth you prefer: Meat broth or Mixed meat broth (this is what I used), but also Chicken broth or Turkey broth.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat and set aside.
Place the eggs in a bowl and beat them for a few moments. Add a pinch of salt and a few grates of nutmeg; mix with the whisk.
Add the melted butter, semolina, and Parmesan, then mix everything well.
Pour the mixture into a baking pan of about 8×12 inches, buttered and lined with parchment paper, and level it with the back of a spoon.
Bake in the preheated oven at 356°F static or 320°F fan for about 30 minutes (I used the fan setting).
Once cooked, remove the mixture from the oven and let it cool slightly, then turn the pan over onto a cutting board and let the mixture cool completely.
Using a sharp knife, cut it first into strips and then into cubes of about 0.4 inches.
Cook the imperial soup cubes for 1 minute in the boiling broth.
Remove from heat and serve your imperial soup hot.
Notes
The Imperial Soup recipe is included in the collection of Hot Soups and Minestrone.
This content contains one or more affiliate links.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can it be frozen?
You can freeze the leftover broth. You can also freeze the cubes after baking them in the oven. When you want to cook the frozen imperial soup cubes, immerse them directly in the hot broth without defrosting and cook for 2-3 minutes.
