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pizzoccheri recipe

Pizzoccheri Recipe (Italian Buckwheat Pasta)

Silvana Nava
Pizzoccheri recipe is a type of homemade pasta. It's made with buckwheat flour, wheat flour and water. The shape is similar to fettuccine, but shorter. It is about 6 cm (2 ⅓ inches) long. The buckwheat gives the pizzoccheri its characteristic grayish-brown color.
The recipe for pizzoccheri is typical of the Valtellina region (especially the town of Teglio), a mountainous area in the Lombardy region.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course pasta
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4
Calories 1104 kcal

Ingredients
  

FOR BUCKWHEAT PASTA (PIZZOCCHERI)

  • 400 g buckwheat flour 3 cups
  • 100 g "00" flour ⅔ cup
  • 285 ml water 1 ⅕ cups

For the Dressing

  • 200 g unsalted butter ~2 sticks
  • 250 g cheese ~9 oz, choose between Casera, Fontina, Piave, Montasio, Branzi, Asiago or Bitto
  • 150 g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese 1 ½ cups, or grated Grana Padano
  • 200 g cabbage 7 oz, you can substitute cabbage with chard or ribs or green beans
  • 250 g potatoes ~9 oz
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

MAKE THE PIZZOCCHERI

  • Pour buckwheat flour and white "00" flour into a bowl. Mix them together.
  • Now slowly pour in the water and incorporate it into the flour. It's best to use warm water (about 50°C/122°F) because then the starches in the flour will work more easily.
  • Knead the dough first in the bowl. When it's well compacted, transfer the dough to a work surface floured with buckwheat flour. Continue kneading to make a smooth, elastic dough.
  • Make a ball and flatten it slightly. Then start rolling out the dough with a rolling pin. You need to roll out the dough to about 3 millimeters (1/10 inch) thick.
  • With a knife, trim the edges of the rolled out dough. Dust the surface with more buckwheat flour so it will not be sticky.
  • Now cut strips of dough about 7 cm (2 ¾ inches) wide.
  • Overlap the strips and cut them widthwise into 1 cm (⅖ inch) wide slices, resulting in Pizzoccheri. PLEASE NOTE: According to the authentic Pizzoccheri alla Valtellinese recipe, they should be 0.5-1 cm (⅕-⅖ inch) wide and 5-7 cm (2- 2 ¾ inch) long.
  • When you have used up the dough and made all the pizzoccheri, place them on a floured work surface.

MAKE THE DRESSING

  • Place a large pot with about 6 liters (25 cups) of water and 50 g (2 tablespoons) of coarse salt on the heat and bring it to a boil. While you wait for the water to boil, start preparing the cabbage and potatoes.
  • Cabbage: flake the cabbage and remove the leaves of the outermost layer. Then cut it in half and then again into smaller strips. Discard the tough central parts of the leaf.
  • Potatoes: peel the potatoes and cut them into fairly large pieces. Try to get equal sized pieces so that they cook evenly.
  • When the water boils, put the potatoes in first. After about three minutes, add the cabbage as well and let it boil for about 5 minutes.
  • After the 5 minutes, add the pizzoccheri. Drop them into the water a little at a time, stirring gently. Fresh homemade pizzoccheri should cook for about 5 minutes. If, on the other hand, you are using packaged dry pizzoccheri, follow the cooking time recommended on the package.
  • Meanwhile, slice the cheese. Make fairly thin pieces.
  • While the pizzoccheri are cooking, prepare the butter with garlic that will be the final seasoning of the dish. Melt the butter in a frying pan and cut the garlic into fairly thin slices.
  • Let the garlic sauté in the butter until it turns a hazelnut color. Then discard the garlic and any foam and residue. Keep warm.
  • Take a baking dish and with the help of a skimmer, drain the pizzoccheri with the cabbage and potatoes. Be careful to drain the water very well.
  • Form layers by alternating the pizzoccheri with the cabbage and potatoes, sliced Casera cheese (or another cheese of your choice), and grated Parmigiano. Continue until all ingredients run out.
  • Place the baking pan over the pot with the boiling water used to cook the pizzoccheri. Cover with a tea towel. With the heat of the water and freshly drained ingredients, the cheese will gently melt.
  • Finally pour in the hot noisette butter and sprinkle with more grated Parmigiano and pepper to taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 100gCalories: 1104kcalCarbohydrates: 86gProtein: 44gFat: 69gSaturated Fat: 43gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 200mgSodium: 946mgPotassium: 978mgFiber: 13gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1593IUVitamin C: 31mgCalcium: 976mgIron: 5mg
Keyword Italian buckwheat pasta, pizzoccheri recipe
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