Anolini in brodo
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Anolini are small, round, stuffed pasta served in broth. The filling is stracotto, beef browned with vegetables, doused in red wine and cooked for hours until it falls apart, then minced with breadcrumbs, cheese, egg and nutmeg. Gambero Rosso notes that the Parma version uses Parmigiano Reggiano, and that the Bassa makes a leaner one with only bread and cheese.
They are Parma's Christmas dish, but trattorie serve them year-round. In September 2026 a bowl cost €13 at Trattoria del Tribunale and €14 at two other places we checked.
At a glance
- What it is
- Small round egg pasta filled with stracotto (beef braised for hours in red wine), breadcrumbs and cheese, cooked and served in broth.
- Parma vs Piacenza
- Parma's anolini are round and use Parmigiano Reggiano; Piacenza's anvein are smaller half-moons, per Gambero Rosso.
- Price
- €13 at Trattoria del Tribunale; €14 at Ai Due Platani and at Brisla Trattoria, on menus checked September 29, 2026.
- When
- Traditionally the Christmas and winter-holiday first course; on trattoria menus year-round.
- How to eat it
- With a spoon, a heap of grated Parmigiano on top.
In this guide
What is in the bowl
- The pasta: a thin egg sheet, cut into rounds with a stamp. Parma's are round enough to be nicknamed "life rings" (salvagenti), according to Gambero Rosso.
- The filling: slow-braised beef, breadcrumbs, cheese, egg, nutmeg. The stracotto can take most of a day.
- The broth: the key. Parma sometimes makes it "in quarta", with four meats including fatty beef; many menus simply say capon (cappone) broth.
The first written traces of anolini go back to the early 16th century and the cook Bartolomeo Scappi, per the same Gambero Rosso piece. Both Parma and Piacenza hold the anolino on Italy's list of traditional food products (PAT), a draw in a long rivalry.
Where to eat anolini, and what it costs
| Restaurant | Dish as listed | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Trattoria del Tribunale, Vicolo Politi 5 | Anolini in brodo | €13 |
| Trattoria Ai Due Platani, Coloreto | Anolini in brodo di cappone | €14 |
| Brisla Trattoria, Strada Farini 41/a | Anolini in brodo di manzo e cappone | €14 |
| Ristorante Cocchi | Anolini in brodo | Not printed |
Prices are from menus read on September 29, 2026: Tribunale's live menu, Due Platani's spring 2026 carta, Brisla's website menu and Cocchi's September 27 menu. Ai Due Platani also charges a €2 cover. Brisla holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand and sits on Strada Farini itself.
Anolini and Christmas
Gambero Rosso calls anolini the protagonists of the Christmas table in the provinces of Parma and Piacenza. Families make them by the hundred in December. If you are in town then, our Christmas in Parma page covers the markets and what closes on December 25 and 26. The rest of the year, a trattoria bowl is the same dish.
How to order it
Anolini come as a primo (first course). In a Parma trattoria that usually follows a plate of salumi with torta fritta. If you want to try two pastas, Tribunale sells a tortelli tasting plate for €13, so a table of two can share anolini and a plate of tortelli di erbetta. Grate Parmigiano on top, and drink a dry Lambrusco (see Lambrusco and Malvasia).
Want to make them? No class we found in Parma teaches anolini specifically; the in-town class on our cooking class page teaches tortelli d'erbetta.
Tickets and tours you can book
Parma Food Tour: Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Workshops & Tasting
Max 8. Not available for vegetarians or vegans. About 3 km of walking. Meets in front of the cathedral.
Rating as shown on Viator
Cesarine: Small group Pasta and Tiramisu class in Parma
The host's address is only sent after booking. Lunch or dinner sessions. Max 12. Not wheelchair accessible.
Rating as shown on Viator
Booking through these links supports this site at no cost to you. Prices move by date, so we do not print them here; the official prices we checked are in the page above.
Frequently asked questions
What are anolini filled with?
Stracotto, beef braised for hours in red wine, minced with breadcrumbs, cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano in Parma), egg and nutmeg. A leaner Bassa version uses only bread and cheese.
How much do anolini in brodo cost in Parma?
€13 at Trattoria del Tribunale and €14 at Trattoria Ai Due Platani and Brisla Trattoria on menus checked September 29, 2026.
What is the difference between anolini and tortellini?
Parma's anolini are round and filled with braised beef and Parmigiano. Piacenza's anvein are smaller half-moons. Both are served in broth.
Are anolini only served at Christmas?
No. They are the traditional Christmas first course, but the Parma trattorie we checked serve them all year.
Further reading
Official sources
- Gambero Rosso - Che cosa sono gli anolini in brodo – Stracotto filling, Parma vs Piacenza, round 'salvagenti', broth 'in quarta', Scappi, PAT listing, Christmas role
- Trattoria del Tribunale - live menu, primi (leggimenu) – Anolini in brodo €13; tortelli tasting €13; checked September 29, 2026
- Trattoria Ai Due Platani - menu, spring 2026 (PDF) – Anolini in brodo di cappone €14; cover €2
- Brisla Trattoria - menu (restaurant site) – Anolini in brodo di manzo e cappone €14; checked September 29, 2026
- MICHELIN Guide - Brisla Trattoria – Bib Gourmand; Strada Farini 41/a; closed Monday and Tuesday
- Ristorante Cocchi - menu of September 27, 2026 (PDF) – Anolini in brodo listed; no prices printed
