A very healthy pasta!
You have probably never heard of Pizzoccheri but they are definitely worth knowing about, especially if you like vegetarian pasta dishes and are very conscious of the health benefits of the food you eat.
Pizzoccheri are a traditional pasta from the Valtellina, a very beautiful and unusually fertile valley in the Italian Alps which runs from the Ortles mountains to Lake Como. This pasta is said to originally come from the historic town of Teglio which is situated half way along the valley and dates back to Roman times! Pizzoccheri are the symbolic dish of traditional Valtellinese cuisine as they are made from buckwheat an important crop in the valley, which is also famous for its wine, cheese and bresaola.
Although at one time only handmade in the Valtellina, these days, pizzoccheri are sold in the form of dry pasta already ready for cooking. The noodles are usually 2 or 3 mm thick, 0.5 cm wide and only 7 cm long cut from a dough traditionally prepared with two-thirds buckwheat flour, resulting in their grey colour, and a third durum wheat semolina.
The healthiest pizzoccheri are handmade
Pizzoccheri are not only a pasta of Italian mountain tradition but have a depth of flavor rare in other types of pasta and are rich in antioxidants and polyphenols. Sadly, the industrially produced pizzoccheri available on the market may sometimes have only 25% buckwheat wholemeal flour and as much as 75% refined durum wheat semolina,. However, buckwheat is so rich in nutrients that this modest 25% is still enough to give antioxidant properties, colour and flavor to the pizzoccheri. On the other hand, they are apparently quite easy to make in comparison to some other pasta types, so if you prefer the healthiest version you can have a go at making them yourself. All you need is ..
2 cups (200 grams) of fine buckwheat flour
½ cup (50 grams) of plain flour
About ½ cup (125 milliliters) water
Pinch of salt
Then, combine the two flours in a bowl and gradually add the water, mixing until well incorporated. Knead the dough for a few minutes. It should be smooth and compact, but not dry or crumbly and it shouldn't stick to your hands. If it's dry, add a little more water until it becomes smooth. Rest the dough for at least 30 minutes.
Roll the dough out with a rolling pin to a thickness of 2-3 mm. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into long strips about 7-8cm in length then cut these to narrower strips to about 0.5cm wide. And you are ready!
To be honest, I haven’t yet tried making this pasta but it’s definitely on my pasta to make list!
Traditionally pizzoccheri are prepared as a vegetarian dish with greens such as Savoy cabbage or Swiss chard, potatoes, Valtellina cheese, parmesan, sage, butter and garlic. Sometimes the dish is finished off in the oven. They are also sometimes prepared with other ingredients such as different pestos, mushrooms and other veggies and maybe even seafood such as prawns. Alternative recipes for Pizzoccheri are usually light and rarely with meat, except perhaps speck or pancetta.
I’ll be including the full recipe for the traditional way to serve pizzoccheri in another post. I hope you get to try it!
Jay N. says
Hello Jacqui,
I have heard that up to and through WWII pizzoccheri was made with 100% buckwheat. Mercato has a recipe on their site that is straight buckwheat and egg. Though it's a little confusing since they call for egg whites in the ingredient list but egg yolks in the instructions.
I've had good success using 100 gms. freshly milled raw buckwheat groats, 1 whole large egg and water as needed per person -- the standard recipe for pasta.It holds together quite well.
Is my understanding of the way it was done correct? Is there a better way of making 100% buckwheat pasta? I have to admit straight buckwheat works better with typical pizzoccheri (the dish) ingredients than the mixture of buckwheat and regular flour. At least for my taste.
Thanks
-- jay
Jacqui says
Hi Jay, thanks for your comment. I apologize for not responding sooner but I was away. I know it's possible to make pizzoccheri with just buckwheat flour but I haven't tried it. In fact, making my own pizzoccheri is still on my to-do list! The 'official' recipe from the Academy of Teglio Pizzoccheri calls for 400g buckwheat and 100g soft wheat flour and no eggs. However, on their site they say just buckwheat or replacing the softwheat with another gluten free flour is possible too. But, when working with all gluten free flour the dough needs to be worked more to get the right consistency. It's in Italian but here's the link https://accademiadelpizzocchero.it/la-ricetta/
Jay Nelson says
Thank you for the link! Some of it was way above me but I think I understood enough to see how it was done. I have a sister-in-law who's coeliac, so gluten free is an interest though I have no gluten problems. I just like the 100% buckwheat and egg combination.
Thanks again,
-- jay
Carolyn Fourie says
Hi Jacquie, i,ve just discovered your website, and i am really loving it. For me,with a wheat allergy, this recipe with buckwheat is a definite one to try for me. May you and your family have a blessed and happy Christmas, and all goood wishes for 2019.
Regards Carolyn.
Jacqui says
Thank you so much Carolyn and sorry for not replying sooner! I was away for Christmas! Buckwheat pasta is naturally gluten free especially if made without other flour added. However, there are some very good gluten (wheat) free pastas on the market these days. Italians also use chestnut, rice, corn and legume flours (among others) to make pasta. You just need to find a brand you like and then you can make most of the recipes on The Pasta Project! Here in Italy they say Rummo is a brand that makes good gluten free pasta, although I haven't tried it! Hope your Christmas was lovely and all the best for 2019!
Donna says
I've just stumbled on to your website! I love it. So many wonderful recipes. I will be visiting often and I love to make my own fresh pasta, so this is great.
admin says
Hi Donna! Thank you! I'm thrilled you like my blog site and the recipes I post. The world of Italian pasta is really wonderful and I'm so enjoying discovering and sharing it! I try to post 2-3 new recipes a week, so you should always find something new when you visit! All the best from Verona!