NORBERT Niederkofler is a three Michelin star chef whose renowned ‘cook the mountains’ theory has become integral to South Tyrolean’s way of life. His innovative approach to using wild foraged ingredients from Italy’s mountainous South Tyrol province brings the mountains to your plate, and now to your home with this fantastic pasta recipe. Norbert Niederkofler is South Tyrol’s best known chef and patron of the three Michelin star St Hubertus of the Rosa Alpina Hotel and owner of AlpiNN food space and restaurant which is home to the ‘Cook the Mountains’ project.
Chef Norbert Niederkofler
His food philosophy embraces principles that embrace a better, cleaner and fairer world, and through his gastronomy, he celebrates environmental sustainability by gathering together a network of chefs, farmers, breeders, mountaineers entrepreneurs from mountain regions and anyone else with a passion for the mountains.
The following recipe, Spelt Fusilli Monograno Felicetti alla carbonara Tirolese is one that features in St Hubertus and can be adapted to be cooked at home. We had the pleasure of enjoying this dish from Niederkofler on our trip to South Tyrol and we hope you enjoy it too.
Spelt Fusilli ‘Monograno Felicetti’ alla carbonara Tirolese
Ingredients
8 speck slices (can be local ham or bacon)
4 organic eggs
280g fusilli
2 spring onions
30g grated cheese
12 lardon slices
Butter
Grape seed oil
Method
- Dry the speck in the oven at 80ºC for three hours then mill.
- Cook the soft boiled eggs and cool in iced water – separate the egg white from the egg yolk keeping only the second one.
- Braise the onions in the butter.
- Cook the pasta in salted water and drain when al dente.
- Stir fry with the braised onions, add cheese and butter and a little bit of oil.
- Season to taste.
- Form a nest of fusilli at the middle of the plate, place the egg yolk, the bacon slices and finish with the speck powder. Enjoy your taste of the mountains!
by Katrina Mirpuri