British Pizzoccheri. A story of mountains, soil and honest simplicity.
There are dishes that do more than feed you. They carry memories, they hold landscapes inside them and they quietly teach us how people once lived.
Pizzoccheri belong to this family of dishes. They come from Valtellina in Northern Italy, where the mountains are steep, winters are long and cooking has always been about keeping warm, staying together and making the most of what little the land could offer.
It is one of the great humble recipes of the world. Simple ingredients. No fuss. Nothing wasted. And yet, in its simplicity, it feels incredibly refined.
Because simplicity is true sophistication. We see that every day in our work with British grown grains.
Where Pizzoccheri began
Pizzoccheri were born in Teglio, a small Alpine village where generations relied on buckwheat for survival. Buckwheat grows fast, grows in poor soils, loves cold climates and gives back a flavour that is deep, nutty and comforting. It was a lifeline crop and, for a long time, one of the only sure harvests.
Families mixed buckwheat flour with a little wheat flour so the dough would hold together, then they rolled it out by hand and cut long, modest strips of pasta.Not perfect strips, honest ones.
Then came the magic.
Potatoes from the garden. Shredded verza (Savoy Cabbage in english), and Casera cheese, made in tiny Alpine dairies. Butter gently warmed with garlic and sage until the whole kitchen smelled like winter evenings and family gatherings.
This is the traditional pizzoccheri of Teglio.
And let us be completely clear. No one, including us, would ever dare to touch the excellence and the pride of the people of Valtellina. Their pizzoccheri are a culinary monument. If you want the original, you must go there. There is no other way.
Why we make British Pizzoccheri
So why on earth do we call ours Pizzoccheri if we are nowhere near Teglio?
Because our work at Carleschi is not imitation. It is an homage. It is continuity. It is respect.
We keep the shape because it is beautiful in its simplicity. But the grain, the flavour and the character all come from here, from British soil.
Our buckwheat pasta is made with grain grown in British fields. The taste is shaped by English rain, English wind, English soil. And that gives our British pizzoccheri a voice of their own. They are not Valtellina. They are not meant to be. They are the natural expression of Spelt and buckwheat grown on this side of Europe.
When you cook them you feel this difference straight away. The aroma is still nutty and warm, but it carries a bit of the countryside here. Our British buckwheat pasta is softer in its grain profile. More earthy. A touch sweeter. It sits beautifully next to Savoy cabbage, potatoes and cheese but it also pairs wonderfully with British winter vegetables like kale, leeks, celeriac and even roasted squash. We have even made a Pizzoccheri all’Amatriciana and we loved it!
We only have a few hundred bags of this organic British Pizzoccheri because the amount of organic British buckwheat grown last year was tiny. Truly tiny. Once it is gone, it is gone.
But more buckwheat is now being grown around the country. From next season we will continue our British Pizzoccheri with non-organic British buckwheat. There is almost no practical difference between the two because buckwheat naturally grows without chemicals, but we will talk about that properly in the Buckwheat article [insert link].
A Bridge Between Two Places
Making British buckwheat pasta connects two worlds for us: the Italy that shaped our taste, and the British soil that gives us our grains today.
There is something moving about this. It feels like the past and present shaking hands. A recipe born in the Alps but now interpreted honestly with what the British land offers.
Real food does not come from copying. It comes from sincerity. From using what grows near you. From treating ingredients with respect.
Our British Pizzoccheri are exactly that: a shape from Teglio, a grain from the UK and the humility to know that each version is meaningful in its own way.
How to Enjoy British Pizzoccheri
You do not need to be Alpine to enjoy this dish!
Keep it simple.
Use vegetables in season.
Let the butter brown just enough to release the scent of sage.
Do not rush. This is a winter dish that rewards calm cooking and a warm kitchen.
If you want the recipe, the ratios and a few of our favourite toppings, you will find them here.
FAQ
Are British Pizzoccheri the same as traditional pizzoccheri from Teglio?
No. Traditional pizzoccheri are unique to Teglio and we encourage everyone to travel there and experience them where they were born. Our British Pizzoccheri use the same shape but British buckwheat and British Spelt wheat which give a different flavour.
Is buckwheat pasta healthier?
Buckwheat is naturally nutrient dense, naturally gluten free and easier to digest for many people. It has a deep earthy flavour that works beautifully in winter dishes.
Is British buckwheat organic?
Our first edition is made with 100 percent British organic buckwheat, but future batches will be non organic. Buckwheat requires almost no chemicals to grow, so non organic buckwheat has a very similar environmental footprint.
Why should I try British buckwheat pasta?
Because it connects you to the grain that grows here. Because it supports British farmers. And because it tastes beautiful.