Pizzoccheri alla Valtellinese

Pizzoccheri are buckwheat pasta, traditionally served with potatoes, savoy cabbage, melted Valtellina Casero DOP cheese and lots of garlicky butter. It's a winter dish ideal to eat when you've had a day hiking or skiing - activities you'll find in the Valtellina where this pasta comes from. Valtellina Casero cheese can be hard to find outside of Italy, but you can substitute it with other flavourful melting cheese (Fontina or mature Gouda, Edam or Maasdam work well). This is a very easy to make and delicious pasta dish from Northern Italy.

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Mix the 2 types flour in a bowl, then pile it up on the table or large board and make a crown. Slowly add the water in the middle while gradually integrating the flour with your hands, the knead it until you form a soft and even dough. Knead for 3 to 5 minutes. It’s important to keep the table or board and pasta well floured while kneading. Cover with a yea towel and let it rest for at least 5 minutes, while you prep the potatoes and cabbage.

Step 2

Peel and cut the potatoes in cubes of about 1.5cm. Place them in a bowl with cold water to prevent oxidation. I used the same bowl I used to mix the flour.

Step 3

Remove and discard the central ribs from the savoy cabbage leaves (or use them in other recipe). Tear up the leaves with your hands.

Step 4

It’s easier to do this step with smaller bits of pasta at a time. On a floured surface, roll the dough with a rolling pin until you have a sheet about 2-3mm thick. Slice the dough in 10 cm strips, flour top and bottom, pile 3 or 4 strips on top of each other, then slice them in 6mm strips. Repeat the process for the rest of the dough.

Step 5

Separate any pizzoccheri that stuck together while cutting, and until cooking, keep them all well floured, on a flat surface, to prevent them sticking to each other.

Step 6

In a large pot of salted boiling water, add the potatoes and savoy cabbage, then cover it with a lid to help it come back up to a boil.

Step 7

While this happens, in a frying pan melt the butter and gently fry the sliced garlic. Both should be golden but not burnt, so keep an eye on them.

Step 8

When the water boils again, remove the lid add the pizzoccheri. Cook them until they are al dente (about 8-12 min), but check on progress to avoid over cooking the pasta.

Step 9

While the pasta cooks, on a glass or ceramic serving tray with tall sides, add a thin layer of grated Parmesan. Have it ready to add the pasta.

Step 10

Once the pasta is cooked , with a slotted spoon or sieve, add a layer of pasta and veg mix in the serving tray then a layer of the melting cheese shavings (about half the cheese) and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Repeat with another layer of pasta and veg, the rest of the Fontina, a sprinkle of parmesan, and a final of pasta and veg on top.

Step 11

Add the piping hot golden garlic butter on top and serve right away. Serve it from the bottom of the dish to get all layers, some garlic butter and loads of stringy cheese on the plate.

Step 12

Enjoy this delicious, garlicky, warming pasta dish with loads of very stringy cheese!