Wondering how to make traditional Italian pizzoccheri? The pizzoccheri represent a particular type of pasta akin to tagliatelle but shorter and wider in shape. They are crafted using a blend of buckwheat flour and 00 flour. These delectable noodles trace their roots to the town of Teglio, nestled in the heart of Valtellina within the province of Sondrio. However, this culinary delight is not confined solely to Teglio; it is also savored in other places in the region, such as Livigno.
Within Teglio resides the esteemed Academy of Pizzocchero di Teglio. This institution not only safeguards the original recipe’s formulation but also endeavors “to safeguard, promote, and propagate the essence of the pizzocchero of Teglio and other quintessential gastronomic traditions from the province of Sondrio”.
The uniqueness of this recipe lies in the utilization of buckwheat flour, a plant that is anything but similar to wheat, originally from northern Europe, where it was called “heidenkorn” – the grain of the pagans, from which Saracens, or non-Christian. Here is the recipe for crafting traditional Italian Pizzoccheri from Valtellina.
Ingredients (4 people)
- 500 g potatoes
- 400 g Savoy cabbage
- 200 g Casera cheese (hard to find abroad; if unavailable, Fontal or Edamer cheeses are suitable substitutes)
- 400 g buckwheat flour
- 100 g 00 flour
- 150 g butter
- 6 cloves of garlic
- Grated Grana Padano cheese
- Salt to taste
Cooking Process
- Sift the 00 flour and buckwheat into a bowl. Pour 270 ml of water into the mixture, add a pinch of salt, and commence kneading.
- Transfer the resulting dough onto a floured board, briefly working it with your hands to achieve a uniform and compact texture.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until you achieve a 2 mm thick sheet. Proceed to cut the sheet into 10 cm wide strips. Then, further cut each strip diagonally into 1 cm wide strips.
- Prepare the vegetables: peel and slice the potatoes into half rings. Separate and trim the cabbage leaves, discarding the core, and cut them in half. Then, slice them into 2 cm wide strips.
- Bring a large pot of 6 liters of water to a boil, seasoning it with salt. Once boiling, add the cabbage leaves and cook them for 8 minutes. Then introduce the potatoes and cook for an additional 8 minutes after the water returns to a boil.
- Peel the garlic cloves, halve them, and gently cook them in butter without allowing them to brown. Simultaneously, cut the cheese into small cubes.
- Submerge the pizzoccheri in the water alongside the cabbage and potatoes, cooking them all together for 10 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, drain the pizzoccheri, potatoes, and cabbage, arranging them on a plate. Layer them with diced cheese, garlic-free butter, and generously grated grana padano.
- Thoroughly mix the ingredients and serve promptly.