Miacce — Buckwheat Crêpes of the Valle d'Aosta

Valle d'Aosta — buckwheat (grano saraceno) was introduced to the Alpine regions in the 16th century from the East, via Central European trade routes, and rapidly became the grain of the mountain poor where wheat cultivation was difficult. The miaccia is the Valdostan expression of the buckwheat crêpe tradition shared across the Alps.

Miacce are the buckwheat-and-wheat thin crêpes of the Valle d'Aosta, cooked on a special double-sided iron (the ferro per le miacce) that is heated in the embers and flipped with the crêpe still cooking inside — a technique unique to the valley. The batter uses a combination of buckwheat flour and wheat flour, eggs, water, and optionally a small amount of lard (which prevents sticking and adds flavour). The finished miaccia is thin, slightly crisp at the edges, and flavoured with the characteristic nutty-bitter note of buckwheat. Served with Fontina, jam, or honey — it is both a savoury vehicle and a sweet one, depending on the filling.

Miacce have the distinctive slightly bitter, nutty flavour of buckwheat — combined with the slight richness of the egg and the lard-seasoned iron, they have a depth that wheat crêpes lack. Served with Fontina, the cheese melts between the warm layers; with honey, the buckwheat's bitterness and the honey's sweetness create one of the paradigm pairings of Alpine cooking.