Pizzoccheri della Valtellina

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large wooden board or clean work surface for pasta
• •Rolling pin
• •Large 8-quart pot for cooking
• •Terra cotta casserole or heavy ceramic baking dish
• •Small saucepan for butter

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pasta dough

   Combine the buckwheat flour and all-purpose flour on a wooden board or in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Add the egg and begin incorporating the flour, adding milk gradually until a rough dough forms. The buckwheat absorbs liquid differently than wheat flour. You may need slightly more or less milk. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and cohesive, though it will never achieve the silkiness of pure egg pasta. The buckwheat makes it slightly grainy. This is correct.

   Buckwheat flour has no gluten. The wheat flour provides structure. Do not attempt this with buckwheat alone or the pasta will crumble.
2. 2

   Rest the dough

   Wrap the dough tightly in plastic and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This relaxes what little gluten exists and makes rolling easier. Do not skip this step or the dough will fight you.

3. 3

   Roll and cut the pizzoccheri

   Divide the dough into four pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll it on a floured surface into a sheet about 2 millimeters thick. This is thicker than tagliatelle. Cut into ribbons roughly 7 centimeters long and 1 centimeter wide. They should look rustic, not uniform. Dust with flour and set aside on a tray. Repeat with remaining dough.

4. 4

   Prepare the vegetables

   Peel the potatoes and cut them into slices about half a centimeter thick, then cut each slice into rough pieces. Remove the tough core from the cabbage and cut the leaves into strips about 5 centimeters wide. The potatoes and cabbage cook together with the pasta. Everything must be ready before you begin.

5. 5

   Cook potatoes and cabbage

   Bring a very large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Add the potatoes first. After 5 minutes, add the cabbage. Let both cook for another 5 minutes. The potatoes should be nearly tender but not falling apart. The cabbage should be soft but retain some texture.

6. 6

   Cook the pasta

   Add the pizzoccheri to the pot with the vegetables. Stir gently to prevent sticking. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Fresh buckwheat pasta takes longer than egg pasta. Taste it. The pasta should be tender throughout with no raw flour taste at the center. When done, drain everything together, reserving one cup of the cooking water.

7. 7

   Layer in the casserole

   Have ready a large terra cotta casserole or heavy ceramic baking dish, warmed in a low oven. Work quickly now. Spread one third of the drained pasta and vegetables in the dish. Scatter one third of the Casera cubes and one third of the Parmigiano over top. Repeat twice more, finishing with cheese. The heat from the pasta will begin melting the cheese immediately.

8. 8

   Brown the butter

   In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic cloves and sage leaves. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter foams, then subsides, then begins to turn the color of hazelnuts and smell nutty. Watch it carefully. Browned butter becomes burnt butter in seconds. Remove the garlic cloves.

   The garlic infuses the butter. It does not go into the final dish. This is restrained use of garlic, which is the only acceptable kind.
9. 9

   Finish and serve immediately

   Pour the hot brown butter with the sage leaves over the layered casserole. The butter will sizzle as it hits the cheese, melting it further and pooling in the crevices. Do not stir. Do not wait. Bring the casserole directly to the table and serve immediately, scooping deep to get all the layers in each portion. Pizzoccheri waits for no one. Once it begins to cool, the cheese stiffens and the magic diminishes.

Chef Tips

• •Casera is a semi-soft cow's milk cheese made only in Valtellina. If unavailable, young Fontina from Valle d'Aosta is the closest substitute. Do not use mozzarella or any melting cheese that turns stringy. The texture should be creamy, not stretchy.
• •The ratio of buckwheat to wheat flour matters. Pure buckwheat pasta crumbles. Too much wheat flour loses the earthy, mineral taste that defines pizzoccheri. The traditional ratio is 3:1.
• •Dried pizzoccheri is available from Italian importers and is acceptable when you cannot make fresh. Adjust cooking time according to package directions, usually 12 to 15 minutes.
• •The terra cotta casserole is traditional because it holds heat. If you use a metal pan, the dish will cool too quickly. Warm whatever vessel you use in a low oven before assembling.

Advance Preparation

• •The pasta dough can be made several hours ahead, wrapped tightly, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before rolling.
• •Cut pizzoccheri can be dried on a floured tray for up to 24 hours, loosely covered, at room temperature.
• •This dish cannot be assembled ahead. The layering and butter must happen immediately before serving. There is no reheating pizzoccheri successfully.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 350g)