In this Emilia-Romagna speciality, eggs, bread crumbs and parmesan (and usually nutmeg and grated lemon zest), make a paste that can be squeezed through a schiacciapatate (potato ricer) to make skinny dumplings, which are served in very good chicken broth. Lately cooks have been making them outside of the soup bowl, too, served with tomatoes and seafood.
Passatelli are also popular in the northern Le Marche, where they are also called lumachelle and served in a capon broth. In Urbino they make a green version by adding spinach.
Image by Paola Sucato