PIZZOCCHERI; MY FAVORITE ITALIAN PASTA

Actually there is too much to tell about this dish in this short blog post. When I write this, I have just returned from an altitude training at the border of Switzerland and Italy. Livigno will sound like music to the ears for top athletes. It is the place where they gain more red blood cells, walk up a mountain out of breath or can be found in the bike park on the day of rest. But most of them will not know the valley called Valtellina which is not far from there. When you cycle over the pass from Livigno and then descend towards the town of Poschiavo, you should really put your nose in the air. Can you smell the "Pizzoccheri"? You may think "smell what"? Well make the recipe, put your nose in the air when you are in Livigno and you will understand me.
Pizzoccheri is a hearty pasta meal that you will only find in this region. It is an ancient, hearty farmer's dish of local regional products. The basis is the buckwheat pasta. The finishing touch of this dish is a local cheese from the Valtellina valley and sage butter. But how can you make this dish with these Italian products abroad? I have the solution for those at home who will miss Italy this summer holiday. In this recipe I will teach you how to make buckwheat pasta yourself. Moreover, I have replaced the other Italian ingredients into products that you will also be able to get in your country. With these few minor adjustments I can promise you that it will taste just as good at home as in Valtellina itself. You will be able to taste Italy from your own garden!

Recipe for: 4 servings
Preparation time: 1.5 to 2 hours

Ingredients

300 grams of buckwheat flour
75 grams of flour (the ratio of flour: buckwheat flour should always be 1: 4. If you do not add enough flour, your dough will not become elastic enough.
300 grams of savoy cabbage or pointed cabbage, chopped
4 hands of mixed mushrooms
100 grams of grated cheese - choose a Gruyère, Comté or Beaufort as a replacement for Valtellina cheese
1 bunch of sage
1 tablespoon of butter
1 clove of garlic
salt and pepper

Getting started

I start with cutting the vegetables so that they are ready and you will not have to waste time on this when it gets busy in the kitchen.

Finely chop the garlic, slice the mushrooms, chop the sage and set aside
Grate the cheese and set aside.

Now we make the pasta dough. This is much easier than you think.

Weigh the buckwheat flour and flour and pour it on a clean counter top. Make a small hole in the center of the pile and pour a little bit of water into it.
Start toss the flour and water by working the flour a little towards the center of the hole. When mixed, add a little water each time. Take it easy and never add too much water.
Knead well. The dough should become elastic and dry. It shouln’t stick to your counter any more.
Sprinkle your counter top with a thin layer of flour.
Divide the dough into a few portions for easier handling.
Roll out the dough to a thickness of ± 3 mm and also sprinkle with a thin layer of flour.
Cut strips of the rolled dough about 10 cm wide with a knife.
Put the dough strips on top of each other and then cut thin strips of pasta from it. (originally they are about 0.5 cm)

Set the noodles aside (do not clump them in a container on top of each other because you will never get them loose again)

Bring 2 pans of water to a boil.
Cook the sliced savoy cabbage for 5 minutes.
Cook the buckwheat noodles in about 8 minutes. Check occasionally for doneness.
Meanwhile, fry the garlic, mushrooms and sage in a large amount of butter in a frying pan.
Drain the cabbage and noodles and add everything to the skillet with mushrooms.
Bake briefly and add the cheese to it until it has melted.
Serve with possibly a little grated cheese on top (if you love cheese as much as I do, it's highly recommended)
Enjoy the taste of Valtellina!

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