Pizzoccheri — buckwheat pasta with cabbage, potatoes and cheese

Put 3 l water in a large pot and start heating it. Wash the prepared cabbage leaves and cut into pieces about 3 cm across. Cut the peeled potatoes into even cubes about 2 cm across. Check the pasta package: this recipe uses dried pizzoccheri that need about 12–15 minutes to cook, not fresh pasta.

Cut the Casera or Fontal into thin slices or small flakes so it melts quickly. Finely grate the Parmesan if it is not already grated. Thinly slice the garlic and cut the butter into a few pieces. Have a large bowl or deep serving dish ready, with a lid or plate to cover it.

Add all 15 g salt to the boiling water. Add the cabbage and potatoes, return to a boil and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Keep the water gently boiling; leave the pot without a tightly fitting lid.

Add all the dried pasta to the pot of vegetables and stir gently to separate the ribbons. Once the water returns to a boil, cook for the time stated on the package, usually 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Toward the end, taste the pasta: it should be cooked but still hold its shape, and a fork should pierce the potatoes easily. The cabbage will be soft. Do not keep cooking if no extra time is needed.

During the last 4–5 minutes of the pasta cooking time, fill the serving dish with hot tap water to warm it. Melt all the butter in a small skillet over low heat. Add the garlic and heat for about 3–4 minutes, swirling the pan, until the slices turn lightly golden and the butter begins to smell faintly nutty. Remove from the heat before the garlic or butter solids darken; everything in the skillet will go into the dish.

Scoop 60 ml cooking water from the pot into a cup. Discard the water used to warm the serving dish and wipe it dry. Use a slotted spoon to transfer half the pasta, cabbage and potatoes to the dish, letting excess water drain off briefly. Add half the Casera or Fontal and half the Parmesan, then sprinkle with 30 ml reserved water. Add the remaining pasta and vegetables, the remaining cheeses and another 30 ml water. Pour over all the hot butter and garlic, scraping out the skillet, and sprinkle with all the pepper.

Cover the dish for about 2 minutes so the heat of the pasta melts the cheeses. Do not put it in the oven and do not stir vigorously, so the ribbons and potatoes do not break. Scoop up the dish with a large spoon from the bottom, reaching through all the layers. Divide into four portions and serve immediately while the cheese is soft and the butter hot.