Alto Adige Recipes: Crostini with Stelvio PDO and Tagliatelle with Porcini

Alto Adige sits in the north of Italy, where a mild climate, fertile soil and the Alpine landscape create the perfect environment for producing wine, milk and dairy products. These two recipes highlight the delights of the region.

Crostini con Stelvio PDO, Speck Alto Adige PGI e miele are topped with aged Stelvio PDO cheese and Speck Alto Adige PGI, a cured smoked ham from Alto Adige, then drizzled with Italian honey for a sweet-and-savory combination. Speck Alto Adige PGI is made exclusively in Alto Adige, where ham has been preserved for centuries in a style that blends Mediterranean air-curing with the smoke-curing traditions of the Alps.

Tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms and "Alta Badia" fonduta features Alta Badia, a hard cow's milk cheese typical of the region and named for the Dolomite valley it comes from. Its flavor is intense and complex, with milky, toasted, long-lasting notes.

Ingredients for 4 people

Crostini con Stelvio PDO, Speck Alto Adige PGI e miele

• 1 fresh loaf of bread, cut into 12 slices
• 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt
• 12 slices of Speck Alto Adige PGI
• 4 ounces Stelvio PDO cheese, grated
• 6 tbsp honey

Tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms and "Alta Badia" fonduta

• 100 grams wheat flour
• 100 grams durum wheat semolina
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon dried, ground porcini
• 200 milliliters cream
• 150 grams "Alta Badia" cheese
• Pepper
• Roasted, ground hazelnuts

How to make Alto Adige Crostini and Tagliatelle

Crostini con Stelvio PDO, Speck Alto Adige PGI e miele

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and brush with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle a little sea salt on each slice. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until slightly golden.
3. Just before removing from the oven, sprinkle each slice with the Stelvio PDO cheese. Return to the oven and bake just until the cheese has melted. Remove and let cool for about 3 minutes.
4. Top each crostino with a slice of Speck Alto Adige PGI and drizzle with honey just before serving.

Tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms and "Alta Badia" fonduta

1. Mix the flour, semolina and ground dried porcini, then add the 2 eggs and knead well together.
2. Wrap in plastic foil and let rest for 20 minutes.
3. Roll out the dough and cut it into strips.
4. Grate the "Alta Badia" cheese, then place it in a pan with the cream, pepper and a chunk of butter. Heat until the cheese is completely melted.
5. Cook the tagliatelle in a large pot of salted water for a few minutes. Drain and serve with the Alta Badia fonduta, sprinkled with hazelnuts and chopped parsley.