The light pizzoccheri without potatoes and butter are my version of the typical dish from Valtellina cuisine.
I tasted the traditional recipe many years ago, at a lunch with friends hosting guests from Sondrio: made with potatoes and cabbage, butter, and cheese. Undeniably good but very high in calories!
So, continuing along the lines of bypassing sacrifices with decidedly lighter alternatives, I thought of revisiting the original recipe to make it more suitable.
Pizzoccheri without potatoes and butter
The pizzoccheri are made with wholemeal buckwheat flour, rich in fiber, and have a glycemic index equal to brown rice, hence GI 50.
• Without potatoes.
Potatoes can be consumed if included in your diet plan without exceeding in frequency and quantity as a substitute for bread, pasta, and rice and paired with a protein source after a plentiful portion of vegetables.
Since we have pizzoccheri, we skip the potatoes.
• Without butter.
Besides the fact that I don’t eat butter, this animal-based condiment is not recommended in cases of hyperglycemia, prediabetes, and diabetes.
✗ Fats can cause a rise in blood sugar levels several hours after a meal, which can mean normal blood sugar levels 2 hours later but a spike at 4-6 or even 8 hours, check your response.
We replace butter with extra virgin olive oil added raw.
• Cheese.
In Valtellina pizzoccheri, Casera [cow’s milk] semi-hard cheese or Bitto [cow’s milk + a small % of goat’s milk] hard cheese is usually used; both have a sweet and delicate flavor, with Casera being lighter and less caloric than Bitto.
We use sliced string cheese and grated cheese.
Refer to your dietary plan for quantities.
The light pizzoccheri without potatoes and butter make a single dish as they concentrate the characteristics that distinguish a balanced meal in one course.
And they are delicious!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 5.6 oz pizzoccheri
- to taste sage
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil (raw)
- 7 oz savoy cabbage
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (with grinder)
- to taste grated cheese (grana or parmesan)
- slices cheese (string cheese)
Suggested Tools
- Colander
- Paper Towel
- 1 Pan small nonstick
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- 1 Bowl or Salad Bowl
- 1 Baking Dish
- Parchment Paper
Preparation
Select and wash the sage leaves.
Let them drain in a colander.
Dry them on a sheet of kitchen paper towel.Place the sage leaves in a small nonstick pan, with the flame off, and drizzle them with a bit of oil so they release their aroma.
Clean the savoy cabbage, select the leaves, and slice them into strips, rinse them under running water.
In a pot, bring plenty of salted water to a boil to cook first the savoy cabbage alone, then the cabbage plus the pizzoccheri.
Add the savoy cabbage and let it cook for 10 minutes.
Add the pizzoccheri and cook for a couple of minutes less than the time indicated on the package.Rinse pizzoccheri and savoy cabbage under running water, drain them thoroughly, and transfer them into a large bowl or salad bowl.
Add a pinch of salt, grind the pepper, and add a sprinkle of grated cheese then mix.
Line a baking dish with a sheet of parchment paper.
Layer:
• pizzoccheri and savoy cabbage;
• string cheese;
• pizzoccheri and savoy cabbage:
• string cheese;
• pizzoccheri and savoy cabbage;
Sprinkle grated cheese on top and grind the pepper.Preheat the oven briefly.
Bake at 356°F (180°C) in a fan oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese becomes stringy and a crunchy crust forms on the surface.Warm up oil and sage slightly without frying.
Dish up.
Drizzle with oil and sage.Your light pizzoccheri without potatoes and butter are ready.
Enjoy your meal!
Variations
You can replace the savoy cabbage with white cabbage.
• Cheese.
In Valtellina pizzoccheri, usually Casera semi-hard cheese or Bitto hard cheese is used.
You can use another semi-skimmed or semi-fat string cheese.
Refer to your dietary plan for quantities.
Try also:
• cabbage rolls with meat without eggs.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can someone with celiac disease eat pizzoccheri?
Originally gluten-free, today pizzoccheri are made by mixing buckwheat flour [gluten-free] with durum wheat flour.
Therefore, in case of gluten intolerance, make sure the package states “gluten-free buckwheat pizzoccheri”.
