A park in New Haven circa 1941. From left, Dora Barbaresi (my grandmother), pregnant sister Jean [Barbaresi] Borrelli, mother Lydia Barbaresi, and sister Edith [Barbaresi] Piccolo. Lydia died when I was a baby, but I do remember my Auntie Jean and Aunt Edith (both great-aunts to me). I thought Jean was very nice, but Edith scared the hell out of me!
What, you’ve never heard of passatellis? Neither has anyone else. Nonni pronounces it “passa-TAYS.” It’s a tubular pasta made from breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese that is served in chicken soup. This is another old recipe from the 1800's, passed down from the Polverari/Belbusti families of Castelvecchio in the Marches region. It evolved as an ingenious way of using up stale bread.
Growing up in the 1980's, I got used to the inevitable blank stares I'd receive when describing the Italian food that Nonni cooked for us. Sauceless pasta? In soup? It was as if I were Laotian trying to pass myself off as Italian. But, what of lasagna, manicotti, and ziti, they would inquire at recess? Well, Nonni made those, too, I clarified, but the pasta we hold most dear comes in soup. Then, they would beat me up.
Only a small handful of people in our family know how to make passatellis. Nonni freezes and bags them in big batches, but only the lucky ones get to bring them home!
Passatellis
I’m not sure how they shape them in Italy, but Nonni uses a meat grinder to extrude the noodles. You could also use the meat grinding attachment on your stand mixer.
4 cups plain breadcrumbs
3 cups Parmesan cheese
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of lemon zest
8 large eggs
In a large bowl or pot, mix breadcrumbs with cheese, nutmeg, and zest. Add eggs and mix thoroughly until cohesive dough forms. Make into small balls (about 2 inches in diameter) and set aside in a covered bowl.
One by one, put balls through a meat grinder to form thick strands. Cut strings to about 4- to 6-inch lengths and lay them out on the table to dry for several hours before cooking. To freeze, let them dry overnight before storing.
Serve in Nonni’s chicken soup. To cook, bring soup to a boil and add fresh or frozen strands (no need to defrost). Cook until done, about 3 minutes.
Dora [Barbaresi] Donroe
New Haven, Connecticut
1918 -
Nonni’s homemade passatellis. Photo by Trish Barker.
Meat grinder! That is SO cool.
Have you tried making these yourself?
Posted by: cookiecrumb | February 23, 2007 at 03:17 PM
My sister and I helped Nonni make the ones in that picture a few years ago. But I don't have a meat grinder, myself. That needs to change ASAP.
Posted by: Tammy | February 23, 2007 at 03:30 PM
These are not my favorite, but are cool because of the family history aspect. And now I know what to get Tammy for her birthday!
Posted by: Husband | February 23, 2007 at 03:49 PM
Dad, I object!! If these aren't your favorite... how come you walk off with them all the time, eh!!
Posted by: Sister | February 23, 2007 at 06:13 PM
Dad walks off with them because he loves them. And he has no conscience. It's my husband who's the killjoy.
Posted by: Tammy | February 23, 2007 at 08:40 PM
Just proves that there's a very stereotyped concept of Italian cooking outside Italy! There are soooo much more to true Italian cooking than pasta with sauces and this an excellent example of that. The ingenuity of using everything AND managing to turn it into something delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Posted by: ilva | February 24, 2007 at 02:16 AM
I've never heard of this either, but I can see where it is totally ingenious! I can imagine that you *could* roll them out with your hands - kinda like play dough. But the meat grinder would be easier and better. Thanks for sharing a wonderful recipe!
Posted by: Sally | February 24, 2007 at 07:45 AM
Sally, I'm sure you're right. I think they make a hand-rolled pasta like this in Tuscany, but out of flour (pici pici). Is that right, Ilva?
Posted by: Tammy | February 24, 2007 at 08:54 AM
Trish, it was Rich who made that "not my favorite" post, not me!
I love Passatays! And you know that I bring them all home simply because they would spoil on the way to Hawaii, not because I'm selfish, self-centered and self absorbed! No, I'm doing it so you won't get sick on spoiled cheese product. But that's me, always thinking of others!!
Posted by: Dad | February 24, 2007 at 02:52 PM
I love Cookbook Fridays. Even if it's Sunday right now.
Posted by: squeezyB | February 25, 2007 at 09:39 PM
Guess what? They are Medieval according to my cooking school.
There are lots of handrolled pastas, and one has it's own annual festa in which women compete to see who can make the longest one. I was once served a big plate of Pici in a Castiglione del Lago restaurant, that was one loooong picio. I twirled and twirled, and then I saw the waiters peeking out and realized it (I) was the house joke.
Making them by hand is very satisfying.
Posted by: Judith in Umbria | February 26, 2007 at 05:37 PM
Judith, thanks for the background. It's so interesting to see how the American immigrant recipes relate back to present-day Italy.
Rolling them by hand -- how positively medieval!
Posted by: Tammy | February 26, 2007 at 09:33 PM
I agree...this was my absolute favorite food that my Nona made. I make these every Christmas. I use to use an old-fashioned meat grinder. Now I use the meat grinder attachment on the kitchenaid...much easier. Oh and my Nona's recipe had black pepper:)
Posted by: Valerie | June 24, 2007 at 09:42 AM
Wow, we sure are related. My grandmother Eve Belbusti (wife of Lando) makes "passa-TAYS" every holiday. Let's get in touch!
Your cousin(?),
Paul Belbusti
Posted by: Paul Belbusti | August 07, 2009 at 02:12 PM
Oh, and I've never had them without lots (and lots and lots) of cracked black pepper.
-Paul
Posted by: Paul Belbusti | August 07, 2009 at 02:13 PM