Description
Pizzoccheri alla Valtellinese is a traditional dish from Lombardy’s Valtellina Valley, made with hearty buckwheat pasta, potatoes, cabbage, butter, garlic, and melted alpine cheeses. Creamy, rustic, and deeply comforting, it’s Italian mountain cuisine at its best—rich yet simple, perfect for cozy evenings.
Ingredients
1 lb pizzoccheri pasta (buckwheat noodles)
½ cup Valtellina Casera DOP cheese, cubed (or Fontina, Gruyere, or Emmental as substitutes)
½ cup Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
1 cup potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 lb savoy cabbage, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat and sauté chopped garlic for 5 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the cubed potatoes to the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the chopped cabbage and cook for another 5 minutes until tender.
- Add the pizzoccheri pasta to the same pot with the potatoes and cabbage. Lower heat slightly and cook for 5–7 minutes, until al dente.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and lightly butter a baking dish.
- Drain the pasta and vegetables well, then transfer them to a large bowl. Stir in the cubed cheese and the garlic butter, mixing gently until the cheese begins to melt and coat the pasta.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle grated Grana Padano or Parmesan on top, and bake for 10–20 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbly.
- Let rest for a few minutes before serving warm.
Notes
Add spinach or Swiss chard for extra greens.
Stir in a splash of cream before baking for added richness.
To make it lighter, replace part of the butter with olive oil.
Top with extra grated cheese before baking for a crispier crust.
Serve with a simple salad or a glass of crisp white wine.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 410 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
