Homemade pizzoccheri offer a simple recipe to make this typical pasta from Valtellina, particularly from Teglio.
It is a variety of pasta made with buckwheat flour mixed with other types of flour and water.
From these ingredients, a firm dough is obtained from which pizzoccheri, similar in shape to tagliatelle, are made. They are consumed in both Lombardia and the Swiss canton, and should not be confused with Chiavenna pizzoccheri, which are a variety of gnocchi made with wheat flour and stale bread soaked in milk.
The typical way to eat pizzoccheri is by preparing the traditional Valtellina soup with cabbage and potatoes, well seasoned with mountain butter flavored with garlic. The whole dish is enriched with melted Casera cheese.
In the areas where it belongs, the so-called “pesteda” is then added to the finished dish, which is a blend of garlic, salt, pepper, dwarf yarrow leaves, and thyme.
A truly rich dish in terms of flavor, prepared starting from this pasta made with buckwheat, which is not actually a cereal.
In fact, while true cereals like wheat, barley, rye, rice, etc., belong to the Graminaceae family, buckwheat is a member of the Fagopyrum family.
However, since the nutritional characteristics and uses of buckwheat are similar to those of true cereals, it has been included in the group of pseudocereals, which also includes amaranth and quinoa.
Buckwheat flour has an energy content similar to that of traditional flours and a decent amount of protein.
Regarding vitamins, buckwheat contains good amounts of vitamin B1 and vitamin E. As for minerals, it provides potassium and zinc.
The iron content in buckwheat is noteworthy, but unfortunately, it is difficult to absorb.
Buckwheat flour retains a good dose of rutin, a flavonoid antioxidant, useful for good circulation.
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 166.30 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 35.40 (g) of which sugars 1.21 (g)
- Proteins 6.15 (g)
- Fat 1.31 (g) of which saturated 0.27 (g)of which unsaturated 0.76 (g)
- Fibers 4.22 (g)
- Sodium 5.90 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 80 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 14.11 oz buckwheat flour
- 3.53 oz all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups water (warm)
Tools
- 1 Sieve for flour
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Work surface
- 1 Rolling pin
- Trays
Steps
To prepare homemade pizzoccheri, in a bowl (or directly on the work surface), combine buckwheat flour and sifted white flour.
Mix the two flours together and gradually incorporate the warm but not too hot water.
Knead briefly and then transfer everything to a work surface.
Continue kneading for at least ten minutes until the ingredients are well combined.
A consistent dough should be obtained.
Wrap it in cling film and let it rest at room temperature for about half an hour.
Divide the dough into two parts and roll one out with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 1/16 inch, lightly dusting the top and bottom of the dough with buckwheat flour.
Once a thin sheet is obtained, trim the edges and make strips 2 3/4 inches wide.
Once you have 3 long strips of the indicated width, stack them lightly flouring between them, and use a pasta cutter to cut many small strips of the same width with a length of 2 3/4 inches.
Place them on a tray and apply the same procedure to the remaining dough.
The pizzoccheri are thus ready to be cooked and seasoned in the traditional way.
Cooking in the salted water used for the vegetables is 8 or even 10 minutes from boiling.
They keep well for a day in the fridge, placing the tray in which they are arranged in a food bag.
At the time of cooking, gently remove some of the flour that covers them and drop them into the pot a few at a time.
The homemade pizzoccheri are thus ready.
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