Pizzoccheri are one of the best known and most loved recipes based on buckwheat flour. Starting from the traditional pizzoccheri of Valtellina we can prepare an excellent fresh homemade pasta with buckwheat flour.
The traditional condiment for pizzoccheri includes Casera cheese, cabbage and potatoes but the pizzoccheri recipe, if desired, can still be varied according to your needs and food choices.
The pizzoccheri recipe
Ingredients for 4 servings
Preparation
Pour the two flours into a large bowl or on a pastry board and gradually add water at room temperature, continuing to knead until the mixture is as smooth and elastic as possible.
Divide the dough into several portions and roll them out on a pastry board with the help of a rolling pin or use the fresh pasta machine. You will have to obtain tagliatelle about half a centimeter thick to divide into portions of 5 or 6 centimeters in length to form the pizzoccheri. Fresh pizzoccheri cook easily and in a few minutes in lightly salted boiling water.
How to season pizzoccheri
The Valtellina pizzoccheri recipe requires seasoning this traditional dish with butter, Casera della Valtellina cheese, salt and pepper, grated parmesan cheese, cabbage and potatoes. The ideal is to cook the pizzoccheri together with cabbage and potatoes and then drain them and pour them into a baking pan where you can gratin them after having sprinkled them with the cheeses before serving them on the table.
Vegan and gluten-free alternatives
Those with celiac disease can prepare pizzoccheri by combining buckwheat flour with gluten-free flour suitable for preparing fresh pasta. Those who are vegan or simply prefer to prepare pizzoccheri in a lighter version can give up the butter and cheese and season the pizzoccheri with potatoes, cabbage or spinach, without forgetting to add some good extra virgin olive oil and perhaps choosing a vegetable alternative to the cheese.
How to store homemade pizzoccheri
If you have prepared more pizzoccheri than necessary, you can keep them fresh in the refrigerator for about 24 hours, placing them on a lightly floured and well-covered tray, so that they do not stick together. Alternatively, you can freeze them still raw: place them well apart on a tray and, once frozen, transfer them into a food bag. When cooking them, you can pour them directly into boiling water without needing to defrost them. Another little tip for obtaining perfect homemade pizzoccheri concerns the processing of the dough: try to roll out the dough evenly, so as to ensure even cooking. And remember that buckwheat flour gives pizzoccheri their characteristic rustic flavour, which goes particularly well with seasonal vegetables.
