Mar 15

Mar 15 Biechi with butter and cavolo nero

Biechi, they are a rare and unknown pasta from the Northern Italy region. They are irregular shaped (handcut) and made with buckwheat flour. They are kind of like it’s more known cousin the “pizzoccheri”. The difference between biechi and pizzoccheri is that biechi are usually made out of 3/4 buckhweat flour, 1/4 semolina, butter and eggs. Whereas pizzoccherri are equal parts of buckwheat and semolina flour and water.

But since I only share vegan recipes I’m making the biechi with only buckwheat, semolina and water. Which is just as good.

Recipe

Makes enough pasta for 4 to 6 people

TIP: ADD SOME VEGAN SAUSAGE TO THE SAUCE!

Ingredients

For the pasta

250g of buckwheat flour
150g of semolina rimacinata flour
200ml of warm water

For the condiment/sauce

1 bunch (200gr) of cavolo nero (or sub with regular kale)
1 large bulb of garlic, roasted in tin foil and olive oil in the oven for 1 hour on 150°C.
200 ml of olive oil
60 gr of grated vegan parmesan, my fav here
2 tbs of vegan butter
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Start by pouring your flours in a bowl or on a clean workspace.
Make a well in the middle of the flour and slowly pour in the warm water.
With a fork start incorporating the water in the flour, adding flour slowly from the outside of the well to the middle.
Once it start to come together use your hands.
Transfer the dough on a clean surface dusted with more flour and kneed until a uniform dough forms.
Cover with plastic foil and leave to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, wash and remove the hard stems from the kale. Chop the kale into bite size pieces.
Blanch the chopped kale in some boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes.
Drain and rinse with (ice) cold water.
Squeeze out as much water from the kale as possible (I do this with my hands) and place 3/4 of the blanched kale in a blender.
Add the olive oil, roasted garlic cloves and parmesan.
Mix well until smooth and bright green. Add more or less olive oil to make it blend smoothly.
Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Once the dough has rested, , flour your workspace again and roll out the dough until it’s approx. 5mm thick.
Cut the dough into irregular squares/triangles, whatever you prefer and place them on a floured surface.
If you have the time, leave them to dry out a little (30 minutes).
Cook the biechi in salted boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes.
Drain and add them to a pan with a few ladles of pasta water, the pesto, butter and the remaining blanched kale.
Toss to melt the butter and coat every pasta piece in sauce. Do this on very low heat to prevent the kale pesto for going brown.
Serve with some extra parmesan on top if you like!
Buon appetito!