# Treat from Italian Alps - Pizzoccheri



## urmaniac13 (Feb 14, 2006)

Now the Winter Olympics is going on in its full glory, I would like to introduce to you guys a wonderful specialty from the Italian Alpine region, pizzoccheri. It is an absolutely delicious comfort food, though quite rich, well worth a try for a special occasion on a chilly day!! The special pasta made with buckwheat has a wonderful nutty flavour with a brown shade, I am also interested in trying this with some other recipes.






*Pizzoccheri*

Ingredients:
200g/6,5oz of buckwheat flour
100g/3,5oz of regular flour + extra for dusting the board
water
pinch of salt
200g potatoes, peeled and diced
300g of spinach or cabbage, shredded. (also chopped broccoli or brussel sprouts are also delicious)
200g of mixed semi soft cheeses which melt well, fontina, taleggio, gouda, edam are great, finely diced or sliced
100g of grated parmigiano or grana padano
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced or crushed
100g butter
dash of white pepper

-knead vigorously together the flours with a pinch of salt, adding just enough water. (you need to play around the amount of water, adding little by little for a right consistency) Keep on kneading well for at least 15 minutes until it attains a smooth somewhat elastic texture (but not as elastic as the egg based pasta).
-roll out the dough on a flat surface well dusted with flour, stretch it out with a rolling pin to about 3mm thickness (a bit thicker than regular fresh pasta) then cut into short strips about 1cm x 5-7cm (1/3 inch x 2-3 inch).
-Bring plenty of water to boil in a big pot, cook the potatoes, veg and pasta for about 7 minutes, skimming out the white residue that may float on the surface as needed.
-at the same time in a small skillet, cook the garlic in butter, taking care not to burn it.
-drain the pasta/veg well, then quickly toss them in a big bowl with the garlic/butter mixture, cheeses and dash of pepper until cheeses are melted and well blended in.
-serve it piping hot.

p.s. you may be able to find a ready made pasta dried and prepackaged (called pizzoccheri) in a specialty food store. This will save some work but it will take longer cooking time (10-12minutes), thus you may want to cook the vegetables separately.


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## Yakuta (Feb 14, 2006)

Looks and sounds delish.  Thanks so much.  My kids are huge pasta lovers and I am sure they will love it.  Looks like a meal for the weekend.


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## texasgirl (Feb 14, 2006)

Wow, this sounds really good!! Thanks!!


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## pdswife (Feb 14, 2006)

What time did you say dinner was????


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## kadesma (Feb 15, 2006)

Licia,
we have pasta quite often on sundays,this looks like one my family will really enjoy.  I'm going shoppingsaturday and will look for either the buckwheat flour or some pasts with buckwheat..I don't care if it takes longer or not, either way we are trying this dish..It makes my mouth water.Thank you.

kadesma


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## Alix (Feb 15, 2006)

OK, this sounds really really good. I have some buckwheat in my cupboard. Do you think I could buzz it in the food processor til it was flour consistency to try this?

And may I suggest this as the next dish for Dine with Us? Maybe we don't have enough time for that for this weekend, but perhaps next? In honour of the Olympics? Urmaniac, would you like to start that thread?


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## urmaniac13 (Feb 15, 2006)

Alix said:
			
		

> OK, this sounds really really good. I have some buckwheat in my cupboard. Do you think I could buzz it in the food processor til it was flour consistency to try this?


 
I don't see why not!!  It may be even tastier this way!!  I would give it a try 




			
				Alix said:
			
		

> And may I suggest this as the next dish for Dine with Us? Maybe we don't have enough time for that for this weekend, but perhaps next? In honour of the Olympics? Urmaniac, would you like to start that thread?


 
Cool!!  The next weekend pizzoccheri Saturday, just before the finale of the Olympics!!  (I will be very sad, as I always am at the end of the winter olympics, but this will cheer me up!!)  Tonight I am trying this with some mushrooms, which I believe would go gorgeously in this recipe.  I will try to list more ideas for modifications when I start the thread for the next weekend!!


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## BrianMorin (May 4, 2006)

urmaniac13 said:
			
		

> p.s. you may be able to find a ready made pasta dried and prepackaged (called pizzoccheri) in a specialty food store. This will save some work but it will take longer cooking time (10-12minutes), thus you may want to cook the vegetables separately.




You can also find Japanese soba noodles or pasta, that is buckwheat based.


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## urmaniac13 (May 5, 2006)

BrianMorin said:
			
		

> You can also find Japanese soba noodles or pasta, that is buckwheat based.


 
Yeah, Soba is also buckwheat based, and it does have a flavour reminiscent of the pizzocheri, however they are much more delicate and thinner, like angel hair and I am doubtful if they will hold up amidst the rich combination of lots of cheese etc. Pizzocheri are much more robust, thicker and cut into something like shorter version of tagliatelle. I also thought about the similarity of the flavour in these two types of pasta, and I would like to try some variations, a bit lighter something like stirfries with various sauteèd vegetables with pizzocheri.

oh, and I see I somehow deleted the above pic accidentally... here it is again


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## BrianMorin (May 11, 2006)

I've been too busy to talk about, sorry I haven't replied. The soba recipe that I have was given by Teruha Kagemori, the founder of KOYO Natural Foods Inc. In her book entitled “Healthful Eating for Healthy Living”  subtitled “A Macrobiotic Approach”. I’m sure she won’t mind me posting this one recipe, especially since I have given her full credits and plugged her company.  

The recipe is as follows:

*How to make Home-Made “Soba”*

3 cups (750 ml)			buckwheat flour
1 cup (250 ml)	whole wheat flour
1 cup (250 ml)	warm water
[/B]

Mix buckwheat flour and whole wheat flour with hands, adding warm water. 
Knead with both hands applying your weight. 
Allow dough to stand for 30 minutes covering it with a wet cloth.
knead again until dough becomes harder thatn your ear lobe.
roll out on floured board to ⅛" (1 cm) thickness. 
Fold accordion-style about 6 times.
Slice into about ⅛" (1 cm) wide strips.

*How to Boil*


Place noodles loosely in plenty of hot water. 
Bring to a boil and add 1 cup (250 ml) of cold water. 
bring to a boil again. 
When noodles begin to float, transfer to a strainer, first swishing in cold water then rising. 
Drain under running water and divide to serve 4 people.

UR, thanks for the great recipe...


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