Karima Moyer-Nocchi

Culinary Historian, Author

MATCH is excited to partner with Karima because we share a dedication to studying and honoring Italy’s rich past. She views Italian culinary arts through a historical lens, and we approach our product design in much the same way. We both draw inspiration from history while striving to make it relevant and accessible to the modern household.

MATCH is not interested in chasing trends. We want to continue the thread of history to create heirlooms that will be passed down for generations, much like Karima’s recipes have been passed down from centuries ago.

By the way, you may see some unfamiliar ingredients or dishes that you don’t immediately equate with Italian cuisine but we encourage you to take this journey to old Italy with us.

— David Reiss, Founder of MATCH

Professor Karima Moyer-Nocchi (University of Siena)
For the last 35 years, Karima has immersed herself in Italian culinary history from her home in Umbria, Italy. She advocates a hands-on approach to food history and invites us to travel back in time through the portal of the senses. Just as one can appreciate Early music from centuries ago in modern halls played on modern instruments, so too can one recreate historical recipes in a modern kitchen and still enter the experience of a bygone era.

Pasta Tajarin

The exquisite pasta “tajarin,” a jewel of Piemontese cuisine, boasts a rich history dating back to the 1400s. Initially a delicacy reserved for special occasions among the contadini, it later ascended to aristocratic tables. The pasta, with its classic chicken liver sauce — first documented in 1616 — traveled to Rome in 1871 when Italy’s first king, Victor Emanuel II of the House of Savoy, took up residence in the Quirinale Palace. It was one of his favorites.

My redacted recipe combines both historical and modern elements and follows a consultation with Luciano Bertelli, the foremost authority on the history of food in the Langhe area.

I selected this dish with a purpose — to accentuate the elegant artisan dinnerware by the northern Italian manufacturer MATCH. The MATCH pewter line reflects my own dedication to culinary heritage, merging the past with the present through meticulous attention to detail and craftsmanship. MATCH designers created this line with the intention of making heirloom pieces that embody timeless elegance.

The “Comodino”

  • 600g chicken livers (and hearts, if you like), finely chopped
  • 400g ground beef
  • 60g butter
  • 200ml red wine
  • 400ml chicken broth
  • 200ml tomato puree (or sauce)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1 large handful dried porcini, soaked in marsala, salt & pepper

Preparation

  1. Sauté the onion in butter until starting to brown.
  2. Add the meats, garlic and rosemary, salt and pepper.
  3. Cook until dry and crackling.
  4. Deglaze with the wine.
  5. When it has evaporated, add the broth, tomato and porcini.
  6. Simmer 1 hour.

The Pasta

  • 400g semolina
  • 200g type 00 flour (or All Purpose)
  • 250g egg yolks
  • 4 large eggs

Preparation

  1. Mix flours together and make a well in the center for the eggs and yolks.
  2. With a spoon or fork begin mixing them together from the center out, gradually gathering the flour from the sides.
  3. When the flour and eggs are mixed, begin kneading, and knead until you have a smooth dough. Form it into a ball and let rest, covered, for one hour.
  4. On a large board roll out the dough until very thin and transparent.
  5. Dust lightly with coarse cornmeal.
  6. Cut the dough in half, fold it over itself and cut into fine strips as shown in the accompanying video.

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