Baked Pizzoccheri alla Valtellinese
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
25 mins
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Total Time
55 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
924 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Baked Pizzoccheri alla Valtellinese
Description
The Baked Pizzoccheri alla Valtellinese involves cooking buckwheat pasta along with potatoes and savoy cabbage until just under al dente, then layering it with cubed Valtellina Casera cheese and grated Parmesan in a baking dish. Browned butter scented with garlic and sage is poured over the layers before baking. This process allows the cheeses to melt and meld with the pasta and vegetables, creating a rich and creamy casserole.
The combination of buckwheat pasta and starchy potatoes gives the dish a dense, filling texture, while the cabbage adds a slight earthiness. The browned sage butter adds an aromatic, nutty depth, complementing the cheeses' sharp and creamy qualities. Baking ensures even melting and a cohesive dish.
This preparation is suitable as a rich main course, especially in cooler weather. It pairs well with simple green salads or steamed vegetables to balance the richness. Variations include adding pancetta for smoky flavor or serving without baking by adjusting cheese form and pasta cooking time.
Notes suggest that if skipping baking, the cheese should be shaved rather than cubed, and pasta cooked more fully. Pancetta can be fried separately and incorporated for extra flavor. These options allow customization of texture and taste.
Ingredients
- 300 g pizzoccheri pasta 10-11oz) if you want to make your own pizzoccheri see my post about pizzoccheri, or buckwheat pasta
- 200 g savoy cabbage 7oz) cut into small pieces with any tough stalks removed, or Swiss chard
- 250 g potato 9oz) peeled and cut into smallish cubes
- 100 g butter 3.5OZ, unsalted
- 250 g Valtellina Casera cheese 9oz) cut into cubes, or Bitto, Gruyere or Fontina cheese
- 150 g Parmesan Cheese 5oz) grated or hard vegetarian cheese without rennet, or Grana Padano
- 4-5 sage torn in half, leaves
- 1 garlic peeled, clove
- black pepper freshly ground
- salt for cooking and to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and start cooking the potatoes and the greens in it.
- After 5 minutes, add the pasta and let it cook for a further 10 minutes ( the pasta needs to be very slightly less than al dente).
- In the meantime, in a small frying pan, melt the butter with the clove of garlic and cook until both the butter and the garlic are golden
- Add the sage leaves just before the garlic is ready.
- Remove the garlic clove and set aside until the pasta is ready.
- Drain the pizzoccheri and vegetables and place half or one third of the mixture into an oven dish (depending on the size and depth of your dish)
- Scatter a handful of the chopped cheese over the top and sprinkle with some of the grated cheese,
- Add more pizzoccheri and scatter again with the chopped and grated cheese
- Repeat until you have used all the vegetables and pizzoccheri and the cheese is uniformly distributed through and on top of the dish.
- Pour over the frothy, browned butter with sage.
- Sprinkle with a bit more parmesan and grind some pepper on the top
- Bake in a preheated oven (180° or 350F) until the cheese on the top starts to turn golden.(about 5-10 mins)
- Serve immediately
Notes
- To serve without baking, cook pasta more and use cheese shavings instead of cubes, then serve immediately.
- Fried pancetta cubes can be added to enrich the dish for added smokiness and texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 924 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 924kcal | 46% |
| Carbohydrates | 72g | 24% |
| Protein | 44g | 88% |
| Fat | 51g | 78% |
| Saturated Fat | 31g | 155% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 148mg | 49% |
| Sodium | 1067mg | 44% |
| Potassium | 610mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 1560IU | 31% |
| Vitamin C | 31mg | 34% |
| Calcium | 1126mg | 113% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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