Pizzoccheri (Buckwheat Pasta With Cheese and Cabbage)

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Place an empty 13-by-9-inch casserole dish or other large ovenproof serving dish in the oven and heat the oven to 250 degrees.

2. Step 2

   Start the vegetables: Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch pieces. Cut out the core from the cabbage and tear the leaves into large chunks, discarding any thick ribs. Thinly slice the garlic. Set a large pot of water to a boil.

3. Step 3

   Prep the cheeses: Remove any rind from the Alpine-style cheese and cut the cheese lengthwise into several smaller pieces, then thinly slice crosswise and place in a medium bowl. Finely grate the Grana Padano on the medium-small holes of a box grater and add to the bowl; toss gently to combine.

4. Step 4

   Make the pasta: In a large bowl, mix the two flours together with your hands (using a “claw” shape helps mix the flours quickly), then form it into a mound with a well in the center. Add 1 cup warm water to the well and use a wooden spoon to gradually stir in the surrounding flour (a dough scraper also helps). When a dough starts to form, switch to your hands and work the mixture until it forms a shaggy dough. (You may need to add 2 to 4 more tablespoons of water to ensure the dough is soft and pliable — it should feel a bit like Play-Doh.)

5. Step 5

   Dust a large baking sheet and your work surface with buckwheat flour. Turn the dough out onto the work surface and knead, keeping the dough and the work surface floured as needed to prevent sticking, until the dough ball is smooth and a bit more elastic, 5 minutes. Gather dough into a ball.

6. Step 6

   Using a long rolling pin, roll out dough to a 2- to 3-millimeter thickness (about as thick as a nickel). Cut into 3½-inch-wide sheets, discarding the trimmings. Lightly dust the sheets with more buckwheat flour. Stack 2 pasta sheets together and cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick strips, creating short ribbons. (You can do this on a floured wooden cutting board if you prefer.) Transfer the pasta ribbons to the floured baking sheet in an even layer, making sure the strands are separated. Repeat with remaining pasta sheets.

7. Step 7

   Add 3 tablespoons salt to the pot of boiling water. Drop in the potatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the cabbage, cover the pot and bring back to a boil, which will take about 3 minutes. Working in batches, gently lift the pasta off the baking sheet, shaking off any excess flour, and add to the pot, using a sprinkling motion to separate the strands as they go into the water. Stir gently with the handle of a wooden spoon to ensure nothing is sticking, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 13 minutes more, until the vegetables are tender and the pasta is cooked through and tastes pleasantly nutty.

8. Step 8

   As the pasta cooks, start the garlic butter: In a small frying pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until both the butter and garlic are golden brown, about 6 minutes. (You may need to adjust the heat up or down to ensure that the garlic butter is ready right after the pizzoccheri is assembled.)

9. Step 9

   Once the pasta and vegetables are done cooking, adjust the heat to low and keep the pasta and vegetables in the cooking water. (You can also drain the pasta and vegetables in a colander, but you’ll need to work quickly to ensure everything stays hot.) Carefully remove the warmed baking dish from the oven and place next to the pot.

10. Step 10

    Sprinkle one-quarter of the cheese mixture in the bottom of the baking dish. Using a spider strainer or large slotted spoon, transfer one-third of the pasta and vegetables to the dish, shaking the strainer to drain well as you go. Sprinkle with a quarter of the cheese. (You can also add a sprinkle of salt between the layers if desired.) Repeat twice more, finishing with a final layer of cheese.

11. Step 11

    By this time, the garlic butter should be ready. Immediately drizzle the garlic butter over the pizzoccheri. The cheese should melt and merge with the butter to create an almost fondue-like sauce that drapes the pasta and vegetables. Serve the hot pizzoccheri immediately without stirring, topped with freshly ground pepper.