Malfatti are a delicious gastronomic speciality that tells the story and tradition of an area rich in unique flavours, the Oltrepò Pavese. Here, the recipe for malfatti has been jealously guarded for generations, handed down from family to family, preserving the authenticity and essence of a cuisine that speaks of love for the land and culinary traditions.
For those who have never heard of them, malfatti are green, soft and delicate gnocchi made with fresh chard, white flour and ricotta cheese. A mixture of ingredients that gives malfatti a unique and irresistible flavour.
An occasion to celebrate
But malfatti are much more than a tasty dish. They are a symbol of conviviality and love of culinary tradition. Preparing malfatti as a family becomes a special occasion, when people gather around the table in a festive atmosphere.
Preparing malfatti takes time, but every moment spent in the kitchen is an opportunity to spend precious moments together with family and friends. It is a time to make preserves, to share family secrets and even to pass on the secrets of the local cuisine. It is a way of celebrating the roots and identity of a community that has learnt to appreciate the products of its territory.
Each malfatto is different
It is easy to prepare, but requires care. The chard is boiled and then finely chopped with white flour and ricotta cheese to obtain a soft, velvety dough. At this point the skill of the cook's hands comes into play to shape the malfatti, one by one, with delicate and precise movements. To be considered a malfatti, it must have an oblong, albeit irregular, shape; in fact, to the eye, each malfatti is different from the next.
When ready, the malfatti are cooked in boiling salted water until they rise to the surface, a sign that they are ready to be eaten. Their rustic, homemade appearance makes malfatti an irresistible dish for both the eyes and the palate. The delicacy of malfatti goes perfectly with a variety of condiments, which can be chosen according to personal preference. The more traditional will opt for butter and sage, or a simple homemade tomato sauce, enriched with fresh basil and a generous grating of Grana Padano.
History and tradition
Throughout human history, the struggle against hunger and food shortages has driven people to seek creative solutions to satisfy their nutritional needs, transforming humble ingredients into delicious dishes.
The surrounding countryside and fields were a valuable source of herbs and raw materials that could be processed in the kitchen. Herbs such as chard, wild chicory, dandelion or dandelion, abundant in rural areas, thus became the main ingredients of malfatti, which were combined with other poor but readily available ingredients such as stale bread, eggs and cheese. The composition of malfatti could vary depending on the seasons and the ingredients available. During the summer, for example, fresh, crisp herbs such as dandelion greens could be used to give a fresh touch to the dish. In winter, on the other hand, chard or other hardier green leafy vegetables could be preferred.
