Top 5 Traditional Appetizers
in the Valtellina

These irregularly-shaped buckwheat fritters are a traditional delicacy of the Valtellina valley, where buckwheat has been used since the 1600s. They are prepared with a thick batter that employs buckwheat, beer, and a splash of grappa, while the final addition is diced cheese, preferably the local Valtellina Casera. It is believed that they were named sciatt, denoting a toad in the local dialect, because of their unusual shape and dark color. They are traditionally served on a bed of fresh seasonal salads and are enjoyed as an appetizer or a snack.Expand

Taròz is a fulfilling, traditional dish from Valtellina that truly highlights several wonderful local products, from the potatoes and beans that are easily grown near the surrounding mountains to the renowned Valtellina Casera cheese. This hearty purée is prepared with potatoes and runner beans, first boiled, then fried in butter with onions and garlic. The mixture is flavored with Casera cheese which has been previously cut into small cubes, and it is then mashed with a fork until all ingredients are blended together. This basic, original recipe developed over time, so nowadays it is often enriched with pancetta, while Casera can be substituted with some other cheese, such as another famous local treat, Bitto. Taròz is usually served as an appetizer, but it is both delicious and nutritious enough to be consumed on its own as a main dish.Expand

This simple antipasto known as bresaola e porcini is prepared throughout Valtellina, and it's the best proof that there is no need to complicate when prime ingredients are locally available. Thinly sliced bresaola topped with fresh porcini mushrooms is generously drizzled with a mixture of freshly squeezed lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, chives, salt, and pepper. Served with slices of hearty bread, it is more than enough to satisfy any palate, but for those wanting even more local flavors, flakes of Bitto cheese can be added as a final touch.Expand

Chisciöl is a traditional buckwheat pancake prepared in the upper Valtellina, especially around the town of Tirano. This beloved fritter made with buckwheat flour, plain flour, grappa, beer, soda bicarbonate, oil, salt, and young Valtellina Cesara cheese is fried in a pan until crisp and golden brown. It is then sliced and often served with finely chopped chicory salad which should be flavored with vinegar and oil. Chisciöl is similar to sciatt, another popular local fritter, but it is larger and flatter. Every year in Tirano, there is a celebration called Sagra dei chisciöl, organized by Confraternita del Chisciöl, an organisation whose ongoing mission is the promotion of this mouth-watering local treat.Expand

Mouse di Bresaola is a quickly prepared, yet very delicious appetizer made with air-dried, salted beef charcuterie from Valtellina. Only a few ingredients are needed for this creamy treat, and the procedure is also very simple: coarsely chopped bresaola is blended with creamy cheese such as ricotta or mascarpone, flavored with olive oil, salt, freshly ground pepper, and grated lemon zest; finally, it is served spread over toasted bread.Expand