Homemade Blecs Buckwheat Pasta Recipe.

Homemade blecs buckwheat pasta with potatoes and speck

5 from 6 votes

Homemade Blecs Buckwheat Pasta Recipe.

Blecs buckwheat pasta from Friuli Venezia Giulia is a delicious rustic homemade triangular maltagliati that's easy to make. Here it's paired with potatoes, speck and spinach in a recipe inspired by Italian celebrity chef Alessandro Borghese.

Prep Time1

Cook Time30

Total Time1 30

Course: Dinner, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italian, Northern Italy

Keyword: blecs, buckwheat pasta, homemade pasta

Servings:

Calories: 671kcal

Author: Jacqui

Equipment

1 large bowl to start dough
1 wood pastry board.
1 Rolling Pin
1 large pot to cook pasta
1 large skillet to cook condiment and mix with pasta

Ingredients

For the blecs pasta

3.5 ounces buckwheat flour
3.5 ounces Italian '00' soft wheat flour or all-purpose flour.
3.5 ounces fine cornmeal flour.
2 eggs large
1.75 ounces butter unsalted and softened
tepid water if needed
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil. with water instead of butter
1 pinch salt

For the condiment.

3 yellow potatoes medium sized peeled, par-boiled and cut into cubes
3.5 ounces speck or pancetta cut into cubes
1 handful baby spinach leaves
1 pinch salt
1.75 ounces butter unsalted
2.5 ounces Montasio cheese or Asiago, fontina etc grated

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the blecs pasta dough

Combine the soft wheat flour, corn meal flour and buckwheat flour with a pinch of salt in a large bowl.
Make a well in the centre, crack in the eggs, beat them with a fork. Add the softened butter cubes and mix everything together with a fork. Use your hands to knead until you have a dough that can be shaped into a ball.
Turn the dough ball out onto a flour dusted wooden board and keep kneading a little longer until you have a firm but smooth dough. Add a little water if it's too dry. Roll the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.

Make the blecs pasta triangles

Use a rolling pin to roll out one third of the rested dough at a time on a floured surface to about 1–2 mm thickness (0.04-0.08").
Usea knife, pasta cutter or fluted pastry wheel to cut the dough sheet into rough, irregular triangles about 4cm wide (1.5in) at the base (this rustic cut is what defines‘blecs’). Place the ready handmade blecs pasta on a flour dusted tray or work surface and repeat with the rest of the dough.

Make the condiment.

Peel and parboil the potatoes and then cut them into small cubes. Cut the speck into small cubes too, plus a few small slices. Grate the Montasio cheese.
Wilt the spinach in a small frying pan with a little butter. In another larger skillet sauté the potato and speck cubes in unsalted butter until the potatoes start to brown.

Cook the blecs pasta.

Bring alarge pot of water to a boil. Add salt and then bring to a boil againCook the blecs in the boiling water for about 2–3 minutes or until they float and are al dente. Drain the blecs ,reserving a little pasta water. Add the pasta to the potatoes and speck.

Finish and serve.

Add more butter to the skillet along with some grated Montasio and the wilted spinach. Mix everything together over a low heat. If the dish seems dry, add a little pasta cooking water. Serve immediately with more grated cheese and the uncooked speck slices on top.

Notes

Like other buckwheat pasta dough (pizzoccheri), I find blecs dough to be difficult with a pasta machine. It's a delicate pasta dough and can break easily. However, it holds together well when cooked.

Leftovers of this dish are delicious baked in the oven with some more cheese grated on top. In fact, the baked version of this dish is a little similar to nachos with the blecs looking and tasting like whole wheat tortilla chips!

Nutrition