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This is the archived version of the Milk Street website and is no longer up to date.

Please visit 177milkstreet.com to see the current website with all of the latest recipes!

Canederli in Brodo (Bread Dumplings in Broth)

4 Servings

1¾ hours 30 minutes active

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Stale country-style bread is the base for canederli, the rustic, generously sized dumplings that originate in the Alpine regions of northern Italy. Our version is based on the recipes we learned in the city of Trento from Mauro Pisoni and Pietro Gamboni of Pastificio Le Delizie pasta shop. Because we almost never have stale bread on hand, we put a baking sheet’s worth of bread pieces in the oven to dry them and toast them only until crisp but not browned. We then grind the bread in a food processor, leaving some pea-size bits in with the finer crumbs to help give the dumplings a little airiness. Canederli are poached and served in broth. Homemade chicken broth, with its clean flavor and color makes for an especially satisfying soup, but store-bought works, too.

4

Servings

Tip

Don’t be lax when mincing the mortadella. If the pieces are too large, the dumplings may not hold together. To mince, stack the slices, cut them into thin ribbons, then cut the ribbons crosswise into small pieces. Finish by rocking the knife blade back and forth a few times over the pile to create even finer bits.

1¾ hours

30 minutes active

Ingredients

  • 8

    ounces country-style white bread, cut or torn into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)

  • 2

    tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Reviews
Ron Y.
January 11, 2025
Outstanding!
I had success with this, and here’re a couple of tips. When you form the balls, either form them with one hand, and gently squeeze, and keep them rolling, until it’s form, or gently toss from Anne to hand to make them compact. Keep the broth at a absolute minimum simmer. Rapid boiling will make them fall apart. I’m not sure what the rolling in flour does, other than cloud up the broth. I don’t think this step is necessary.
Erin B.
December 24, 2024
Do not disturb
Upon reading other reviews, I didn’t disturb the dumplings after dropping them into the broth. They lost only a few flavorful bits to the broth - which enriched the flavor of the soup - and remained intact. This meal was delicious!
Eric A.
October 30, 2024
Fell apart
The bread dumplings completely fell apart upon putting them in the broth. It created a soupy mixture of flour and broken bread dumplings and it took a while to make. I subbed prosciutto for mortadella. Maybe more egg for binding?
G D.
November 18, 2024
Fail
The dumplings completely disintegrated into the broth Flavor was exceptional but disappointed dumplings did hold together Almost minced the Mortadella to avoid this happening Followed recipe top to bottom.

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