Tastes of Valle d’Aosta

Tucked away in the northwestern corner of Italy on the border of France and Switzerland, Valle d’Aosta is Italy’s smallest and least populated region. Its green valleys in the summer turn into a winter wonderland with plenty of skiing (and more importantly après ski opportunities). Cattle and dairy are a huge part of the local economy, creating the phrase that “the only oil used in the kitchens of Valle d'Aosta is butter.” We’ll dive into some of the most popular foods and beverages from Valle d’Aosta.

Because the communities were so widely scattered, and often isolated during the winter, the people of Valle d’Aosta have become experts at preserving their food. The most famous product from Valle d’Aosta (and possibly of all of Italy) is Fontina DOP. This melty cheese has been produced since the Middle Ages and is the key ingredient in another regional treat fonduta. This raw cow’s milk cheese is from the local Valdostana Pezzata Rossa cattle breed. Fontina’s elastic consistency is perfect for melting. Depending on the age, the texture can range from semi-soft to firm, and the flavor ranges from sweet, delicate, and buttery to having notes of dried fruit and earthy mushrooms.

Another famous cheese is Toma di Gressoney, a common in Valle d’Aosta and neighboring Piemonte. This semi-hard cheese is made from partially skimmed cow’s milk and is protected by Slow Food. It’s popular with local salumi and stirred into hot polenta.

Valle d’Aosta also has many regional salumi. A famous but extremely rare salumi from this region is Jambon de Bosses DOP. This raw mountain ham has been produced since the 1300s and is flavored with juniper, pepper, garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, and other native herbs. It is then aged 12–30 months on a bed of hay at high altitudes. It has a delightful aroma of Alpine herbs with a light salty flavor.

Another famous Valle d’Aosta salumi is Lardo d’Arnard DOP. This delicate pork lardo is made from the back of the pig and is lightly seasoned with only salt, spices, and “mountain air.” It’s aged in special wooden dolis, made from native oak, chestnut, or larch. It’s a popular aperitivo served with warm local black bread and drizzled with honey.

One last special salumi (though we could write on forever!) is mocetta: a beef salami with ancient origins. Also called motsetta and motzetta, this unique salumi is made from lean thigh cuts of old cows. The cuts are seasoned with salt, bay leaves, sage, garlic, pepper, and other spices before being pressed at a cool temperature. The salt and other seasonings will gradually form a brine that the meat must stay submerged in for at least two weeks. The meat is then left to dry for 3–4 months. It has a delicate but aromatic flavor, perfect for slicing and serving on its own or adding to recipes.

It may come as a surprise, but pasta is not very common in the Valle d’Aosta. The geography and climate were not good for growing wheat. Instead, corn thrived in this region, making the cornmeal dish polenta the staple. The name “polenta” shows some of the strong Roman heritage in this region, deriving from the ancient Roman word puls for porridge. All classes dined on polenta: the poor would have it simply boiled, while the rich would have it topped with decadent sauces, cheeses, and butter. The most popular way to prepare polenta in Valle d’Aosta is polenta concia: cornmeal cooked with butter and cheese. This decadent dish can be eaten as a first course or as a side with other regional specialties like Carbonade Valdostana.

Another crop that thrived in this area was rye. This hearty grain tolerates cold climates well, so it spread widely across northern Europe. Pan ner is the famous black bread from Valle d’Aosta. This dark rye loaf is slightly acidic and has a tighter structure than other Italian loaves. Traditionally, pan ner was only made once annually at the beginning of winter. Once the crops were harvested and outdoor chores lightened for the season, the men would gather to knead the bread in the largest barn in the village. This was a great opportunity to build community among these often-isolated villages. Each loaf was marked with a distinctive sign to differentiate the loaves among the families. The baked loaves were left to dry in the barn rafters on special racks, then broken up to be divided and consumed over the remainder of the year. Now, these loaves are made much more frequently, and will sometimes have caraway and fennel added as an extra flavor.

One of the most famous dishes from Valle d’Aosta is fonduta. Cheesy fonduta is a cousin to Swiss fondue, but it doesn't include wine or garlic. Instead, it is made extra-rich with egg yolks and the ultra-melty regional star: Fontina DOP. In addition to bread cubes, lightly steamed vegetables are often served on the side. Fonduta is also often poured over cooked vegetables like a sauce.

For a heartier dish, another famous dish from the region is Carbonade Valdostana. This rich beef stew is made with onions, red wine, herbs (such as sage, bay leaf, and thyme), and baking spices (such as cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange peel). Some recipes even call for juniper berries. Different villages will cut the beef into cubes, while others will slice it into strips. This hearty, stick-to-your-ribs stew is perfect served traditionally: over a bed of creamy polenta.

Another favorite dish from the Valle d’Aosta is a unique vegetable-based dish. Zuppa alla Valdostana (or Seupa à la Vapelenentse in the local dialect) is a thick soup made from cabbage, bread, stock, and, of course, plenty of Alpine butter and Fontina DOP. Layers of bread, cheese, and cabbage are baked in a small dish with stock until golden and bubbling. The texture is between a loose stew and a soup, but it’s the perfect bowl of comfort on a cold winter day.

For an ultra-decadent dish, look no further than Crépe valdostane or Crespelle alla Valdostana. Thin pancakes are filled with ham and Fontina DOP, then tucked in a baking dish and topped with a creamy béchamel (besciamella) sauce of butter, flour, and milk. The whole dish is baked until golden brown and bubbly. What could be more perfect?

The bounty of vegetables often associated with Italy isn’t as widely available in the cool climate of Valle d’Aosta. Cabbage, onions, and other hearty vegetables are most often consumed. Surprisingly, apples and pears grow incredibly well in the region and are full of flavor. Martin Sec pears are poached in syrup and local red wine, and Gold Delicious, Jonagold, and Renetta apples are used in all kinds of treats.

Another surprising favorite ingredient in Valle d’Aosta is walnuts. Walnut and chestnut trees are abundant in this region. Valle d’Aosta is the only region in Italy where olive oil isn’t produced, as it’s too far from the warming Mediterranean Sea. Instead, walnuts are hot pressed for when oil is needed. The nuts are harvested and left to dry from the fall until January. It takes 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) of cleaned and shelled walnuts to make just 1 liter (4.25 cups) of oil. A unique byproduct of making walnut oil is troillet. Also called troliet or troilliet, this walnut paste is left over from when the oil is extracted. This hazelnut-colored dough has a grainy consistency and the delicate flavor of pure walnuts. It once was used as chicken feed but is now considered a regional delicacy. Troillet is used in everything from sage pesto to salad dressings and is even mixed into coffee with milk for breakfast.

The famous sweet from Valle d’Aosta are tegole valdostane. These paper-thin wafers are made with hazelnut flour, sugar, egg whites, and flour. The dough is well kneaded and then cut into thin circles. They’re traditionally enjoyed on their own or with fiocca – a regional style of thick whipped cream. These cookies get their name from the stone slab shingles on the roofs of the mountain houses.

As with its food, Valle d’Aosta has a bounty of unique styles of beverages and traditions for how to enjoy them. A unique traditional way to enjoy a drink in the region is with the grolla or “Friendship Cup” — a communal drinking vessel with several holes. A grolla is traditionally used to share wine or a specific Valdostana-style coffee called café à la cogneintze, where coffee is mixed with grappa, red wine, sugar, and a squeeze of lemon before being reheated over an open flame.

While grappa is a very popular digestivo, genepì is the regional treat. Traditionally served neat, this strong sipper tastes like citrus fruits and hay and is a mix of distilled alcohol, water, sugar, and alpine herbs like wormwood. The color varies from light green (when made with fresh herbs) to dark yellow (when made with dried herbs).

Valle d’Aosta also produces unique regional wines. While most of the area is too mountainous for agriculture, they still produce a range of wines. The high altitudes are some of the highest in Europe, high enough even that phylloxera never reached. While these steep slopes are similar to other famous regions that mostly produce white wines, over 60% of Valle d’Aosta wine production is actually red wine. The main grape varieties are both international and indigenous, again a reflection of this region’s melting pot of culture: Petit Rouge, Nebbiolo, Pinot Nero, Prié Blanc, and Fumin.

Nebbiolo, locally called Picotendro, might be a surprising grape in this region. Most famously the star of Barolo and Barbaresco, Nebbiolo is often thought to have gripping tannins that need extended aging to settle. In these high altitudes and cool climate, the wines are more like Burgundian Pinot Noir: high acid, delicate red fruit, and earthy aromas.

In this region, there is only the Valle d’Aosta (or Vallée d’Aoste) DOC, but countless sub-regions offer unique styles. One, for example, is Blanc de Morgex et da La Salle: 100% indigenous white varietal Prié Blanc. There are some spumante wines, as well as dessert and specialty styles. Look for Vendemmia Tardiva or Vendange Tardive, a late-harvest version of any white wine. Some areas, like Chambave and Nus, also do passito styles of wine, where grapes are dried on straw mats to concentrate the natural sugar and make wines with a higher alcohol content, bolder flavor, and more intense tannins (a technique used to make Amarone della Valpolicella, Tuscan Vin Santo, and Friulian Picolit).

Curious to know more about this unique melting pot of a region? Check out our Discover Valle d’Aosta article to learn more about the geography and history of this area. Don’t forget to stop by our stores, order local delivery, or shop online to try some of these regional delights yourself.