I really love whole grain pasta, 5 grain pasta, or even better, buckwheat pasta. And what better way to taste it than with this delicious dish of Pizzoccheri with Savoy cabbage, potatoes, and casera cheese? This typical first course from Valtellina will amaze you with its unique but enticing taste! Try it and let me know what you think. The original recipe calls for casera, but if you prefer, you can use bitto. In Piedmont, a similar cheese, if you can’t find bitto or casera, is raschera.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 7 oz Savoy cabbage (already cleaned)
- 9 oz potatoes (already cleaned)
- 14 oz pizzoccheri
- 7 oz cheese (casera, bitto or raschera, type toma)
- 4 teaspoons coarse salt
- 7 tablespoons butter
- 1 clove garlic
- 10 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (grated)
- to taste black pepper (ground)
Preparation
Wash, remove the hard part of the Savoy cabbage and cut it into small squares.
Wash the potatoes, peel them and cut them into small squares.
Now cut the cheese into cubes and place it on a plate.
Put plenty of water in a pot, once it boils, salt it, add the cabbage and diced potatoes. Boil for about 5 minutes.
After this time, add the pizzoccheri and cook for another 12/13 minutes (for cooking time, read what is indicated on the package).
Melt the butter in a small pot or microwave. Take an aluminum tray for 8 portions sized approx. 12×9 inches, with a slotted ladle drain half of the pizzoccheri along with the cabbage and potatoes, place them directly in the tray forming the first layer, on top distribute half of the casera or raschera, half of the grated Parmesan, half of the melted butter, and a sprinkle of pepper. Try not to leave the pizzoccheri too watery or too dry.
Then make the second layer of pizzoccheri, potatoes, and cabbage, distribute the remaining casera or raschera, the remaining Parmesan, the remaining melted butter, and another sprinkle of pepper. Serve hot.
Tips/Advice
If you can’t find casera or raschera, you can use a toma or a semi-aged cheese from your region. In Valtellina, the cheese used is casera.
You can also add sage leaves to the butter, this will enhance the flavor of your pizzoccheri.
To melt the cheese better, you can pass the pizzoccheri tray in the oven for 5 minutes at 392°F. In this case, leave the pasta slightly more watery, to avoid it getting too dry. Obviously, this step is optional, as pizzoccheri usually are not baked.
If you enjoyed the Pizzoccheri with Savoy cabbage, potatoes, and casera, try the other first courses with potatoes:
From Poland: pierogi dumplings with potatoes
Cereal penne with bacon, chicken, and potatoes
Risotto with sausage and potatoes
Green bean soup with potatoes, small cuttlefish, and shrimp
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