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Taroz Valtellinesi is a potato and green bean mash from the Valtellina valley in Lombardy, built with browned onion and melted mountain cheese until it turns rustic and slightly stringy. It’s cucina povera at its most direct: a handful of ingredients, a patient boil, and a good cheese doing most of the work.
The dish grew out of Alpine kitchens where potatoes and beans grew well and cheese was always on hand. Casera or Bitto, both aged cow’s milk cheeses from the region, melt into the mash rather than sitting on top of it. If you can’t find either, a young fontina works fine.
What makes taroz different from plain mashed potatoes is the crust. After mashing, you press the whole thing into a hot buttered skillet and let it sit until the bottom browns. That crust is the point, not an accident.
Serve it as a side next to grilled sausage or bresaola, or eat it on its own with a green salad. Either way, keep some texture in the mash. Smooth mashed potatoes aren’t the goal here.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Uses pantry staples: potatoes, beans, onion, and cheese
- One pot for boiling, one skillet for the crust
- Rustic texture, no need to mash smooth
- Pairs well with cured meats or a simple salad
Ingredient Notes
- potatoes: Use a starchy or all-purpose variety like Yukon Gold. Waxy potatoes hold their shape too much and won’t mash evenly.
- green beans: Fresh beans give the best texture. Frozen work too, just add them a few minutes later since they cook faster than fresh.
- Valtellina Casera cheese: A semi-soft cow’s milk cheese from Lombardy. Young fontina or taleggio are close substitutes if you can’t find Casera.
- onion: Cook it slowly until the edges go golden. A rushed onion tastes raw in the final mash.
- butter: Unsalted lets you control the seasoning. Split it between the onion and the crisping step.
Taroz Valtellinesi: Alpine Potato and Green Bean Mash
Ingredients
Method
- Put the potatoes in a 5-quart / 4.7 L pot, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the green beans to the same pot and continue boiling for 12 to 15 minutes, until both the potatoes and beans are fork-tender.
- Drain well in a colander, reserving a small cup of the cooking water, then return everything to the pot.
- Melt 30 g of the butter in a 28 cm / 11-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden at the edges.
- Mash the potatoes and green beans directly in the pot with a potato masher, leaving some texture rather than pureeing smooth.
- Fold in the browned onion and its butter, then add the cubed cheese. Stir over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese melts into long strings.
- Season with salt and pepper, loosening with a splash of the reserved cooking water if the mash looks stiff.
- Melt the remaining 30 g butter in the same 28 cm skillet over medium-high heat. Scrape in the taroz and press into an even layer with a spatula.
- Cook undisturbed for 6 to 8 minutes, until a golden crust forms on the bottom. Check by lifting an edge with the spatula.
- Slide onto a plate crust-side up, or flip like a frittata. Serve hot.
Notes
- Don't mash the potatoes and beans completely smooth, some texture is traditional.
- Cube the cheese by hand so it melts into strings instead of clumping.
- Use a well-seasoned or nonstick skillet for the crust step so it releases cleanly.
- Taste before crisping, since the cheese adds salt on its own.
Tips for Success
- Boil the potatoes and green beans in the same pot, the way you would simmer potatoes for baccalà in umido, to save a dish and let the flavors mix early.
- Mash by hand with a potato masher, not a food processor, or the beans turn to paste.
- Cook the onion low and slow for 8 to 10 minutes so it turns sweet, not just soft.
- Press the mash firmly into the skillet before crisping so the crust forms in one even layer.
- Check the crust by lifting an edge with a spatula rather than guessing from the smell.
Variations
- Swap the green beans for shredded savoy cabbage, an older mountain variation found in some Valtellina villages.
- Add 80 g diced pancetta to the onion and render it before adding the potatoes and beans.
- Use Bitto cheese instead of Casera for a nuttier, firmer melt with a stronger aged flavor.
Storage and Reheating
Taroz Valtellinesi keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. The cheese firms up as it cools, which is normal.
To reheat, melt a small pat of butter in a 28 cm / 11-inch skillet over medium heat, add the cold mash, and press it flat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes undisturbed to rebuild the crust, then flip or serve straight from the pan.
Freezing isn’t a good option here. The potatoes turn grainy and the cheese separates once thawed, so plan to eat this within the week.
Serving Suggestions
Taroz Valtellinesi works as a side next to a grilled luganega sausage or a plate of bresaola and pickled vegetables, which is how it’s usually served in Valtellina.
For a lighter meal, pair it with a simple green salad dressed in just olive oil and lemon to cut through the butter and cheese.
A glass of Valtellina Rosso, a light Nebbiolo-based red from the same valley, matches the dish without overpowering it.
FAQ
Why is my Taroz Valtellinesi runny instead of holding together?
It usually means the potatoes and beans weren’t drained well enough before mashing. Excess water dilutes the starch that holds the mash together. Drain thoroughly in a colander and let the steam escape for a minute before mashing, adding reserved water back only if it looks too stiff.
Can I use fontina instead of Valtellina Casera cheese?
Yes, young fontina is the closest easy substitute and melts with a similar stretch. Taleggio also works if you want a slightly funkier, softer result. Avoid pre-shredded cheese, since the anti-caking coating keeps it from melting as smoothly into the mash.
Can I prep Taroz Valtellinesi a day ahead and crisp it later?
Yes, mash and season it fully, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a day. Skip the skillet crisping step until you’re ready to serve, then press the cold mash into a hot buttered pan and cook until the bottom browns, about 6 to 8 minutes.
What goes with Taroz Valtellinesi besides sausage?
Bresaola with a squeeze of lemon and a few shavings of Parmigiano is a classic pairing in Valtellina. A simple green salad also works if you want something lighter. Cured meats and pickled vegetables balance the richness of the melted cheese well.
Is Taroz Valtellinesi gluten free?
Yes, the base ingredients (potatoes, green beans, onion, butter, and cheese) are naturally gluten free. Just double check the cheese rind or any added stock cubes if you use one, since some processed additions can carry gluten from anti-caking agents.
What’s the difference between Taroz and regular mashed potatoes?
Taroz Valtellinesi includes boiled green beans mashed right into the potatoes, plus browned onion and melted mountain cheese folded through, unlike a plain smooth mash. It also gets pressed into a hot skillet at the end to form a browned crust, which regular mashed potatoes skip entirely.