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Lombardy cuisine

Lombardy eats richly and drinks widely: butter and rice on the Milanese plain, buckwheat and mountain cheese in Valtellina, pumpkin tortelli in Mantua. Its wines span the Alpine Nebbiolo of Valtellina, the sparkling Franciacorta, the reds of Oltrepò Pavese and rarities like the sweet Moscato di Scanzo.

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Antipasto

Bresaola della ValtellinaAir-dried salt beef

Lean beef salted and air-dried in the Valtellina mountains, sliced thin and dressed with oil, lemon and Grana - a light Alpine antipasto.

air-dried beefolive oillemon
Wines to drink with it
  • Valtellina Superiore DOCG The valley's own light, perfumed Nebbiolo is the classic partner for its cured beef.
  • Nebbiolo Nebbiolo's delicate red fruit suits the lean, savoury meat.

Primo

Risotto alla MilaneseSaffron risotto

Rice slowly cooked in broth with butter, onion and marrow, turned gold and fragrant with saffron and finished with Parmigiano.

ricesaffronbutterbeef marrow
Wines to drink with it
  • Franciacorta DOCG Franciacorta's fine metodo-classico bubbles and acidity cut the buttery, marrow-rich rice.
  • Chardonnay A structured Chardonnay echoes the saffron and butter.
Pizzoccheri della ValtellinaBuckwheat pasta with cabbage and cheese

Short buckwheat tagliatelle layered with potato, savoy cabbage, melted Valtellina Casera cheese and sage butter - the hearty Alpine primo.

buckwheat pastacabbagepotatoValtellina Casera
Wines to drink with it
  • Valtellina Superiore DOCG The local mountain Nebbiolo's acidity cuts the cheese-and-butter richness.
  • Nebbiolo Chiavennasca (Nebbiolo) is the home grape of the same valley as the dish.
Tortelli di ZuccaMantuan pumpkin tortelli

Egg-pasta parcels filled with sweet roasted pumpkin, amaretti and mostarda, dressed in butter and sage - the sweet-savoury Mantuan primo.

egg pastapumpkinamarettimostarda
Wines to drink with it
  • Lambrusco Mantovano DOC The frothy Mantuan Lambrusco's acidity balances the sweet pumpkin-and-amaretti filling.
  • Franciacorta DOCG A brut Franciacorta's bubbles refresh the buttery, faintly sweet tortelli.

Secondo

Ossobuco alla MilaneseBraised veal shank with gremolata

Cross-cut veal shanks braised with wine and broth until the marrow melts, finished with a lemon-garlic-parsley gremolata, often served with the saffron risotto.

veal shankmarrowgremolatawhite wine
Wines to drink with it
  • Valtellina Superiore DOCG The Alpine Nebbiolo's tannin and acidity meet the rich, gelatinous braise.
  • Nebbiolo Nebbiolo's savour and grip lift the marrow and the gremolata's lemon.
Cotoletta alla MilaneseBreaded bone-in veal cutlet

A thick, bone-in veal cutlet breaded and fried in butter until golden - the Milanese classic.

veal cutletbreadcrumbsbutter
Wines to drink with it
  • Franciacorta DOCG The sparkling wine's acidity scours the buttery fried crust.
  • Pinot Nero An Oltrepò Pinot Nero, still or in bubbles, is a supple match for fried veal.
CassoeulaPork-and-cabbage stew

A winter stew of the humbler cuts of pork - ribs, rind, sausage, trotter - slow-cooked with savoy cabbage until soft and unctuous.

porksavoy cabbagesausage
Wines to drink with it
  • Croatina Oltrepò Bonarda (Croatina), dark and often frizzante, cuts the fatty pork and cabbage.
  • Valtellina Superiore DOCG A firm Valtellina Nebbiolo stands up to the rich stew.

Dolce

Torta SbrisolonaCrumbly almond cake

A hard, crumbly Mantuan cake of cornmeal, flour, almonds and butter, broken by hand rather than sliced.

cornmealalmondsbutter
Wines to drink with it