A practical version using ready-made dried pizzoccheri. The flavour combination follows Valtellina's buckwheat, vegetables, cheese and garlic-butter tradition; the pasta packet controls the cooking time.
Recipe at a glance
Serves / makes4
Prep20 minutes
Cook20–25 minutes
SkillStraightforward
Ingredients
- 350 g dried pizzoccheri
- 300 g potatoes, cut into small cubes
- 250 g savoy cabbage, sliced
- 200 g Valtellina Casera cheese, thinly sliced
- 60 g grated Grana Padano
- 120 g butter
- 1 garlic clove, lightly crushed
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- Warm a large serving dish. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the potato cubes. After about 5 minutes, add the cabbage and pasta.
- Cook for the time indicated on the pasta packet. Check that the potatoes are tender; keep a little cooking water before draining.
- Meanwhile, warm the butter with the garlic until it smells fragrant and begins to turn golden. Remove the garlic if you prefer.
- Lift the pasta and vegetables into the warm dish in layers with Casera and grated Grana. Pour over the garlic butter. Let the cheese soften, add black pepper and serve promptly.
The technique that matters
Timing matters more than forceful mixing. Cut the potatoes small, use a warm dish and bring the pasta to the table while the cheese is melting.
Ingredient notes
Contains wheat and dairy; buckwheat pasta is not automatically gluten-free. Use Casera where available. A substitute melting cheese makes a different home adaptation, rather than the traditional version.
Italy by Taste home adaptation, guided by regional references. Not kitchen-tested for this edition.
Read further
Accademia del Pizzocchero di Teglio
Sources checked on 11 October 2026. Check current opening times, menus and transport information before travelling.