History

Zuppa Imperiale is a quintessentially Bolognese first course, served at family Sunday lunches across Emilia from the 19th century onward. The egg-and-semolina batter is baked in a flat tin to a soft cake, cooled, and cut into 1cm cubes that hold their shape in the broth. It is the home-cooking counterpart to the more elaborate tortellini in brodo, and remains on the menus of traditional trattorias such as Trattoria Anna Maria, Trattoria Battibecco and Diana.

Common allergens: Gluten, Egg, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 4 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • For the zuppa cubes: 150g fine semolina, 150g grated Parmigiano Reggiano, 4 large eggs, 60g unsalted butter softened, half teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, half teaspoon fine salt
  • For the capon broth: 1 small capon (or large boiling fowl) about 2kg, 1 onion halved, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1 leek, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 4 litres cold water, salt to taste
  • Extra grated Parmigiano Reggiano, to serve
  • A grating of fresh nutmeg, to serve

Method

  1. Make the broth first. Cover the capon and vegetables with the cold water in a heavy stockpot. Add bay leaf and peppercorns.
  2. Bring slowly to a bare simmer, skimming foam.
  3. Simmer 3 hours uncovered, never letting it boil. Salt lightly in the last 30 minutes.
  4. Strain through muslin into a clean pot. Cool, refrigerate, and lift off any fat the next day. You should have about 2 litres of clear amber broth.
  5. For the zuppa: heat oven to 170C. Butter a small baking tin (about 20cm square) and dust with semolina.
  6. Beat the eggs with butter, nutmeg and salt in a wide bowl.
  7. Whisk in the semolina and Parmigiano until smooth. The batter should fall from the whisk in heavy ribbons.
  8. Pour into the prepared tin to a depth of 2cm. Smooth the top.
  9. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until the surface is light gold and the centre feels firm to the touch.
  10. Cool 10 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a board. Cut into 1cm cubes with a sharp knife.
  11. Reheat the strained broth to a bare simmer. Drop the zuppa cubes in for 60 seconds (they should warm through, not break).
  12. Ladle into shallow bowls, finish with extra Parmigiano and a grating of fresh nutmeg.

Tip from the editors. The cubes must hold their shape; if they break into mush, you cut them too small or simmered the broth too hard. Keep the broth at a tremble, not a boil.

Where to eat zuppa imperiale

Zuppa Imperiale in Bologna

Trattoria Anna Maria ★ 4.6

Italian€€universitaTue-Sun 12:30-15:00, 19:30-23:00; Mon closed

Trattoria Anna Maria in Bologna near Via Zamboni is the city's most-photographed sfoglia trattoria, run by Anna Maria Monari since 1985 with hand-rolled.

Signature: Tagliatelle al ragu, Tortellini in brodo, Lasagne verdi

Order: Tagliatelle al ragu, tortellini in brodo, lasagne verdi, gnocco fritto.

Tip: Book a week ahead for dinner. Lunch is calmer and the sfogline still hand-roll pasta in the window between services.

Via delle Belle Arti 17/A, 40126 Bologna BO Book →

Trattoria Battibecco ★ 4.2

ItalianChef Marco Bondi€€€€€55-90Mon-Sat 20:00-22:00; Sun closedBook 1 week ahead

Trattoria Battibecco in Bologna's Centro Storico is the long-running Marco Bondi fine-bistro one street back from Piazza Maggiore, running the modern.

Order: Tortellini in brodo, the sea-bass crudo, the risotto with prosciutto di Parma.

Tip: Book a week ahead by phone; the upstairs dining room is the quieter seating and the cellar leans heavy on Italian whites.

Via Battibecco 4, 40123 Bologna BO

Ristorante Diana ★ 4.5

Italian€€€piazza-maggioreTue-Sat 12:15-14:30, 19:15-22:30; Sun 12:15-14:30; Mon closed

Ristorante Diana on Via dell'Indipendenza in Bologna is the 1909-founded room running the canonical Bolognese carte and the famous Sunday carrello dei.

Signature: Tortellini in brodo, Lasagne verdi, Carrello dei bolliti

Order: Tortellini in brodo, lasagne verdi, the carrello dei bolliti on Sunday lunch.

Tip: Book a fortnight ahead for Sunday lunch; the carrello dei bolliti runs only on Sunday and Wednesday lunches.

Via dell'Indipendenza 24, 40121 Bologna BO Book →

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