Sunday Kitchen: Chef Giada Grilli + Pizzoccheri alla valtellinese recipe

Giada Grilli with a plate of pizzoccheri alla valtellinese, a hearty, rich dish that uses humble ingredients. Photo / Alex Burton

Having honed her skills at culinary school in Italy, Giada Grilli, who grew up in Bologna, has worked in some of Auckland’s most illustrious restaurants. Soon she’ll be taking on the mantle of head chef for the new, highly anticipated Michael Meredith restaurant Metita, opening in spring 2023. Here we find out what comfort dish from her homeland Giada loves to tuck into in the cold months and how she keeps family traditions alive.

What does Sunday look like in your kitchen?

Sunday is usually a family day so I like to relax and enjoy the day off with my 2-year-old daughter. We usually make pizza or other classic homely Italian dishes, like making pasta from scratch, to make us feel more like we are back at home in Italy. This keeps our family traditions alive and is something I want to pass on to her. Often friends come over and what starts off as an aperitif with just some nibbles drags into a long lunch merging with dinner. That is what Sunday is all about for us, spending time with the people you love.

Why did you choose this dish?

This is an easy comfort dish that we often make in winter and I have great family memories around it. We usually use fresh veges from our garden if we have them and it’s a nice engaging activity to do with my daughter - teaching her the simplicity and value of things. We like to get our hands dirty in the garden whenever it’s time to plant, pick veges or remove the weeds. It is a hearty, rich dish that uses humble ingredients - a common combination in Italian culinary tradition in the northern part of Italy that was often a favourite for working families.

Pizzoccheri alla valtellinese. Photo / Alex Burton

Pizzoccheri alla valtellinese

For the pizzoccheri pasta

400g buckwheat flour, preferably coarse

100g standard white flour

285g water at a temperature of 50C

For the seasoning

200g savoy cabbage

240g potatoes

180g casera cheese (if not available, asiago or another semi-hard cheese)

40g grana padano, grated

80g butter

2 cloves garlic

1. To prepare the pizzoccheri, mix together well the two flours in a bowl and add the water at 50C. Knead the dough vigorously, then form a ball.

2. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 2-3mm. Cut with a sharp knife into strips about 7cm long and 1cm wide.

3. Clean the cabbage, discard the outer leaves, cut it in half, then cut it into slices. Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes. Thinly slice the casera cheese (preferably at room temperature).

4. Bring 6L of water to a boil, add rock salt to season. Drop the potatoes in and cook for 2 minutes. Add the cabbage. After about 4 minutes slowly drop in the pizzoccheri and turn them gently. Cook for about 4 minutes.

5. In a separate pan, melt the butter on low heat, add the garlic, and cook until it becomes a hazelnut colour.

6. Strain the pizzoccheri. In a dish or pan, make a first layer of pizzoccheri mixture, then a layer of casera cheese and continue with another layer of pizzoccheri pasta. Repeat the layer of the cheese again and continue until you finish with the last layer of pizzoccheri pasta and cheese, sprinkled with the grated grana padano cheese.

7. At this point, follow the example of the Valtellina grandmothers: place the dish or pan on top of the pot with the cooking water still hot, just to keep it warm. Cover with a cloth and rest for about 5-10 minutes. Strain garlic from the butter mixture and pour the hot butter over the pizzoccheri.