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A period dish

Maccheroni in Brodo

Short pasta cooked in a rich capon broth and served as a first course, a staple of the Italian Renaissance table.

Serves 6

In Renaissance Italy pasta was a luxury of the prosperous household, made by hand and dried in the sun. Boiling it directly in good broth was the simplest and most elegant way to serve it: the pasta thickened the soup, and the broth flavored every piece.

Ingredients

Produce

  • 1 onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 stalk celery

Meat & Poultry

  • 4 lb capon

Dairy & Eggs

  • 1 cup pecorino

Pantry / Durable

  • 12 oz maccheroni

Spices & Seasoning

  • salt

Method

  1. Make a clear broth by simmering a capon with onion, carrot, and celery for two hours, skimming the surface often.

  2. Strain the broth and return it to the pot; season it with salt and a little grated cheese.

  3. Bring the broth to a gentle boil and drop in the fresh maccheroni.

  4. Cook until the pasta is tender, stirring now and then so it does not stick.

  5. Serve in bowls with grated pecorino and a grinding of black pepper.

Served at

The garden at San Marco · Florence, Italy

A countess holds her court · Forlì, Italy

A supper near Calais · Calais, France