Blecs buckwheat pasta, also referred to as biechi, is a nutritious rustic kind of maltagliati from Friuli-Venezia Giulia. This straightforward to make do-it-yourself contemporary pasta is most frequently served with simply butter, sage leaves and native Montasio cheese however this recipe from Italian celeb chef Alessandro Borghese pairs blecs with speck, potatoes and spinach in a dish filled with the flavors of the area.
The delicacies of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
The delicacies of Friuli-Venezia Giulia in Northeast Italy is without doubt one of the nation’s most distinctive and various, reflecting its distinctive place on the crossroads of Italian, Austrian, Slavic, and Hungarian cultures. This area blends Mediterranean elements with hearty Alpine and Central European flavors, providing each rustic dishes and refined delicacies.
In reality, in contrast to the Southern areas, typical recipes from this a part of northern Italy embrace goulash, strudel, pickled greens, Slavic potato dishes and soups, in addition to pasta, mountain cheeses and cured meats! This blecs pasta recipe incorporates lots of the flavors and typical elements of this area.
What does the phrase ‘blecs’ imply?
Based on meals historians, the phrase blec means ‘patch’ or ‘piece’ and refers to items of fabric that have been used to ‘patch’ tears in garments. In reality, as soon as cooked, blecs do resemble items of fabric.
What form is blecs buckwheat pasta?
Blecs is definitely a kind of Italian pasta generally called maltagliati. Maltagliati, which implies badly reduce, originated as a resourceful method to make use of leftover pasta dough. The leftover dough is reduce up into irregularly formed items.
You could find this kind of pasta all through Italy though it has completely different names in some locations, for instance corn and wheat flour triangular patellette from Abruzzo.
Like patellette, blecs is historically triangular in form, though some individuals make pasta squares or rectangles. Additionally, like patellette, blecs is produced from a combination of flours.
What flour is used to make blecs?
These days, some Italians make blecs pasta with only a combination of buckwheat flour and comfortable wheat flour. Nevertheless, from my analysis, I’ve discovered that 3 sorts of flour appear to be the commonest.
These are buckwheat flour, comfortable wheat flour and corn meal flour. Each buckwheat flour and corn flour are gluten free, and I’ve seen recipes for blecs calling for simply these two flours. However I haven’t tried it myself.
Other than the sorts of flour used, blecs pasta recipes additionally differ within the ratio of flours. Some name for extra comfortable wheat flour than buckwheat or corn meal. Nevertheless, the recipe I adopted from chef Borghese stipulates equal quantities of every flour. So that is what I used.
Components for blecs pasta dough.
Flours: As talked about above this recipe requires 3 sorts of flour. Gentle wheat flour which in Italy could be ‘00’ flour however you should use all-purpose flour as an alternative. Buckwheat flour (farina di grano Saraceno in Italian) and high quality floor cornmeal flour (farina di mais fioretto in Italian).
Eggs: Blecs is definitely a kind of egg pasta. The ratio on this recipe is 2 eggs to 300g (10.5 oz) of flour. I like to make use of free-range bio eggs as a result of they style higher, are extra nutritious and more healthy.
Gentle butter or extra-virgin olive oil and water: Some blecs recipes name for softened butter within the dough. Others use somewhat olive oil and water. I used butter however if you wish to hold the pasta dairy free use tepid water and somewhat olive oil that will help you get the dough to the correct consistency.
Components for the condiment.
Speck: Speck is a smoked cured ham most famously from the South Tyrol but in addition from Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Top-of-the-line specks from Friuli is named speck di Sauris, the latter is a village within the Friulian Dolomites well-known for the manufacturing of cured meats. Speck is sort of a cross between cured ham and bacon. To substitute, you should use prosciutto crudo, pancetta or bacon.
Potatoes: Potatoes are a standard ingredient in Alpine recipes. Within the recipe I adopted, chef Borghese really useful a kind of yellow potato from Lazio known as ‘patate dell’alto viterbese IGP’. In fact, you should use different yellow potatoes comparable to Yukon Gold.
Cheese: Montasio is the cheese they normally serve with blecs pasta in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. This can be a mountain cheese produced from contemporary cow’s milk in East Veneto and Friuli. Montasio derives its identify from the Montasio mountain vary of Friuli, north of Venice. It was initially produced within the thirteenth century by Benedictine monks at their monastery within the Giulia Alps.
You possibly can substitute the Montasio with Asiago, Emmental or fontina. Alternatively, use Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Child spinach: You solely want a small quantity of spinach, ideally small leaf contemporary child spinach. However regular spinach will work too.
Butter: Italians principally use unsalted butter. In the event you use salted butter, do not add additional salt to the dish.
Step-by-step directions.
Make the blecs buckwheat pasta dough.
1) Mix the comfortable wheat flour, corn meal flour and buckwheat flour with a pinch of salt in a big bowl.
2) Make a properly within the centre, crack within the eggs, beat them with a fork. Add the softened butter cubes and blend all the pieces along with the fork first. Then, use your fingers to knead till you could have a dough that may be formed right into a ball.
3) Flip the dough ball out onto a flour dusted wood board and hold kneading somewhat longer till you could have a agency however clean dough. Add somewhat water if it is too dry. Roll the dough right into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap and let relaxation for a minimum of half-hour at room temperature.
Make the blecs triangles.
4) Use a rolling pin to roll out one third of the rested dough at a time on a floured floor to about 1–2 mm thickness. Like different buckwheat pasta dough (pizzoccheri), I discover blecs dough to be tough with a pasta machine. It is a delicate pasta dough and might break simply. Nevertheless, it holds collectively properly when cooked.
5) Use a knife, pasta cutter or fluted pastry wheel to chop the dough sheet into tough, irregular triangles about 4cm vast on the base (this rustic reduce is what defines ‘blecs’). Place the prepared handmade blecs pasta on a flour dusted tray or work floor and repeat with the remainder of the dough.
Make the condiment.
6) Peel and parboil the potatoes after which reduce them into small cubes. Lower the speck into small cubes as properly, and some small slices too. Wilt the spinach in a small frying pan with somewhat butter. Grate the Montasio cheese.
7) In one other bigger skillet sauté the potatoes and speck in some butter till the potatoes begin to brown.
Cook dinner the blecs pasta.
8) Carry a big pot of water to a boil. Add salt after which convey to a boil once more. Cook dinner the blecs within the boiling water for about 2–3 minutes or till they float and are al dente. Drain, reserving somewhat pasta water. Add the blecs to the potatoes and speck.
End and serve.
9) Add extra butter to the skillet together with some grated montasio and the wilted spinach. Combine all the pieces collectively over a low warmth. If the dish appears dry, add somewhat pasta cooking water.
10) Serve instantly with extra grated cheese.
Alternative ways they serve blecs pasta in Italy.
The condiment for blecs pasta can differ relying on which a part of the Friuli Venezia Giulia area you’re in. You could find blecs served within the basic method I discussed above with butter, sage and a sprinkling of Montasio or a mushroom ragu.
Nevertheless, in Gorizia, they make ‘biechi’ with rooster, capon or duck, additionally simply with ricotta, or sausage and wild fennel. And within the Carso (Karst plateau), they get pleasure from their blecs with a conventional sauce made with Terrano, a full-bodied pink wine from the realm.
What to do with leftovers.
Leftovers of this dish are scrumptious baked within the oven with some extra cheese grated on high. In reality, the baked model of this dish is somewhat much like nachos with the blecs wanting and tasting like complete wheat flour tortilla chips!
Pin for later.
Let me know what you assume.
Friuli Venezia Giulia’s delicacies is deeply rooted in its panorama and historical past. It’s not flashy, nevertheless it’s advanced, comforting, usually hearty and filled with custom—a hidden gem within the tapestry of Italian regional meals.
Blecs pasta has a definite taste with nutty undertones and an earthy style. Along with the condiment on this recipe, it makes a hearty meal. Nevertheless, it’s also possible to simply serve it with melted butter, crispy sage leaves and a few grated Montasio.
In the event you do this regional recipe for blecs buckwheat pasta, I’d like to know what you assume. Please write a remark right here on the weblog or publish a touch upon the Pasta Mission Fb web page.
Your suggestions means lots to me!
Buon Appetito!
Home made Blecs Buckwheat Pasta Recipe.
Blecs buckwheat pasta from Friuli Venezia Giulia is a scrumptious rustic do-it-yourself triangular maltagliati that is straightforward to make. Right here it is paired with potatoes, speck and spinach in a recipe impressed by Italian celeb chef Alessandro Borghese.
Gear
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1 massive bowl to begin dough
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1 wooden pastry board.
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1 Rolling Pin
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1 massive pot to cook dinner pasta
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1 massive skillet to cook dinner condiment and blend with pasta
Components
For the blecs pasta
- 3.5 ounces buckwheat flour
- 3.5 ounces Italian ’00’ comfortable wheat flour or all-purpose flour.
- 3.5 ounces high quality cornmeal flour.
- 2 eggs massive
- 1.75 ounces butter unsalted and softened
- tepid water if wanted
- 1 teaspoon additional virgin olive oil. with water as an alternative of butter
- 1 pinch salt
For the condiment.
- 3 yellow potatoes medium sized peeled, par-boiled and reduce into cubes
- 3.5 ounces speck or pancetta reduce into cubes
- 1 handful child spinach leaves
- 1 pinch salt
- 1.75 ounces butter unsalted
- 2.5 ounces Montasio cheese or Asiago, fontina and many others grated
Directions
Make the blecs pasta dough
-
Mix the comfortable wheat flour, corn meal flour and buckwheat flour with a pinch of salt in a big bowl.
-
Make a properly within the centre, crack within the eggs, beat them with a fork. Add the softened butter cubes and blend all the pieces along with a fork. Use your fingers to knead till you could have a dough that may be formed right into a ball.
-
Flip the dough ball out onto a flour dusted wood board and hold kneading somewhat longer till you could have a agency however clean dough. Add somewhat water if it is too dry. Roll the dough right into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap and let relaxation for a minimum of half-hour at room temperature.
Make the blecs pasta triangles
-
Use a rolling pin to roll out one third of the rested dough at a time on a floured floor to about 1–2 mm thickness (0.04-0.08″).
-
Usea knife, pasta cutter or fluted pastry wheel to chop the dough sheet into tough, irregular triangles about 4cm vast (1.5in) on the base (this rustic reduce is what defines‘blecs’). Place the prepared handmade blecs pasta on a flour dusted tray or work floor and repeat with the remainder of the dough.
Make the condiment.
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Peel and parboil the potatoes after which reduce them into small cubes. Lower the speck into small cubes too, plus a couple of small slices. Grate the Montasio cheese.
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Wilt the spinach in a small frying pan with somewhat butter. In one other bigger skillet sauté the potato and speck cubes in unsalted butter till the potatoes begin to brown.
Cook dinner the blecs pasta.
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Carry alarge pot of water to a boil. Add salt after which convey to a boil againCook the blecs within the boiling water for about 2–3 minutes or till they float and are al dente. Drain the blecs ,reserving somewhat pasta water. Add the pasta to the potatoes and speck.
End and serve.
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Add extra butter to the skillet together with some grated Montasio and the wilted spinach. Combine all the pieces collectively over a low warmth. If the dish appears dry, add somewhat pasta cooking water. Serve instantly with extra grated cheese and the raw speck slices on high.
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Notes
Leftovers of this dish are scrumptious baked within the oven with some extra cheese grated on high. In reality, the baked model of this dish is somewhat much like nachos with the blecs wanting and tasting like complete wheat tortilla chips!
Diet
Energy: 671kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 23gFats: 30gSaturated Fats: 14gPolyunsaturated Fats: 4gMonounsaturated Fats: 11gTrans Fats: 0.4gLdl cholesterol: 137mgSodium: 587mgPotassium: 927mgFiber: 8gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1282IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 264mgIron: 5mg
Different rustic sorts of pasta and gnocchi to attempt.
- Chestnut maltagliati with mushrooms
- Home made chestnut pasta with pork and cabbage.
- Scarpinocc di Parre.
- Home made tacky gnocchi.
- Teardrop dumplings (chnèfflènè)
Extra Recipes from Friuli Venezia Giulia
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