🇮🇹 Italian · Pasta
🧀 Pizzoccheri della Valtellina
Pizzoccheri
Pizzoccheri della Valtellina layers hearty buckwheat pasta ribbons with cabbage, potatoes, and generous amounts of melted Casera cheese and butter — a mountain dish built for cold Alpine winters.
Named for the Valtellina valley in the Lombard Alps, this dish's earthy buckwheat pasta reflects the region's short, cool growing season, which favors buckwheat over wheat — everything is layered and finished with sage butter for a deeply warming, rustic meal.
Ingredients
Equipment: Mixing bowl, Rolling pin or pasta machine, Large pot, Baking dish
Pizzoccheri dough
- 300 g (2½ cups) buckwheat flour
- 100 g (¾ cup) all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) cold water (as needed)
Assembly
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 300 g (10 oz) Savoy cabbage, roughly chopped
- 250 g (9 oz) Casera or Fontina cheese, thinly sliced
- 100 g (1¼ cups) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 120 g (½ cup) butter
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- Fresh sage leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Combine the buckwheat and all-purpose flours with the eggs and enough cold water to form a firm dough. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth. Rest, covered, for 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough into sheets about 3mm thick and cut into short, wide ribbons (about 1cm wide, 7cm long).
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the diced potatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the cabbage and pizzoccheri to the same pot, cooking together for 10–12 minutes until the pasta is tender.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan with the garlic and sage until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) if you plan to gratin the dish, or proceed directly to serving.
- Drain the pasta, potatoes, and cabbage, reserving a little cooking water.
- Layer a portion of the pasta mixture in a warmed dish, dot with slices of cheese, then repeat layering, finishing with a final layer of cheese.
- Pour the sage butter over the top and scatter with Parmigiano. If gratinating, bake for 5–8 minutes until melted and bubbling; otherwise toss gently until the cheese melts from residual heat.
- Season with pepper and serve immediately, piping hot.
Chef Tips
- Buckwheat flour has no gluten, so the small amount of all-purpose flour and egg are essential for holding the dough together.
- Cook the pasta, potatoes, and cabbage together in the same pot — this is traditional and saves effort.
- Casera is the traditional cheese, but a good melting alpine cheese like Fontina works well as a substitute.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Rolling the dough too thin — pizzoccheri should have a substantial, rustic bite, not be delicate like egg pasta.
- Using only buckwheat flour without any wheat flour, resulting in a dough that falls apart.
- Skimping on the cheese — this dish is meant to be rich and generously layered.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Buckwheat is naturally gluten-free in its pure form and rich in fiber and minerals.
- Cabbage provides vitamin C and fiber.
Cultural Note
Pizzoccheri holds Protected Geographical Indication status, and the town of Teglio in Valtellina hosts an annual festival celebrating the dish each autumn.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 2 days; reheats reasonably well given its hearty nature.
Reheating: Reheat in a covered dish in a 180°C (350°F) oven until warmed through.
Serve with: A robust red wine such as Valtellina Superiore, Nothing more — this is a complete, hearty meal on its own