Blending traditions — something old is new again

Tuesday, 20 March 2012 23:00

When we were young, we loved watching our Mother and Grandmother prepare for a holiday, and dreamed of one day preparing all this wonderful food for our own families and hosting our own holiday as well.

Each family has its own special traditions, and when we marry, we take on our spouses’ way of celebrating a holiday, and the blending of traditions can be spectacular.

I, Joy, remember one particular Easter dinner we celebrated with my husband’s family. We began the meal with a very different but delightful soup. I had never heard of or tasted anything like it before.

Mama, as my husband’s family addressed her, served her soup with much love and pride. As I looked around the beautifully decorated table at my new in-laws, I realized how much each family cherishes their own traditions.

The look on their faces as Mama ladled each bowl of Passatelli soup (pronounced -pass-a-tell), they seemed to drop the “i” when speaking about, was one of comfort and content.

This delicious and unique soup, which originates from the Emilia Romagna region of Italy, is very easy to pull together — a simple, mouthwatering blend of parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and egg made into a pasta type noodle.

Any broth will work, so choose your favorite. A dash of nutmeg and lemon gives the soup just the right burst of flavor for each spoonful. Do not let the need for a ricer scare you — they can be purchased at any kitchen store.

So whip up some fresh stock (use canned if you must), find the ricer and enjoy the blending of traditions for a perfect Easter holiday.

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Parmigiano and breadcrumb soup

(Passatelli in Brodo)

10-12 cups of stock of your choice

3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup fine, dry, unflavored breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2 large eggs

1 tsp. lemon zest

Have broth ready in a big soup pot simmering. Mix together in a large bowl the parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, nutmeg and lemon zest. Mix well and add eggs. Mix thoroughly with hands and work into a ball. Dough should be smooth and pliable.

Turn up the heat on the broth until boiling, place a good-size piece of dough into ricer, and while holding ricer over the boiling broth, press dough through ricer right into the pot.

Reduce heat. Simmer one-to-two minutes. Serve hot and enjoy.

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