“I grew up on a farm in the meadows of Alto Adige, the last of seven siblings. Preparing food with love has always been a part of my life,” Maria Reichhalter Prader summarizes her affinity for the kitchen.
Born in 1954, Prader worked as a professional pastry chef. For 30 years, she managed the Wieshof Maso, an agriturismo in the idyllic hamlet of Laion located in the Eisacktal Valley, which lies in the northern part of Alto-Adige. She worked alongside her husband Luis and her two children who now hold the reins.
The author of four cookbooks, Prader is a local legend. "Once the children grew up, I felt the need and the desire to refine my passion." Said and done: she returned to her studies and attended a two-year cooking course at the Tyrolean Women Farmers Association, which counts 16,700 female members organized into 152 local groups. The association, founded in 1981, mainly deals with issues relating to the female, social, and agricultural fields.
“I taught cooking classes for 16 years,” she shares. “Now I enjoy my grandchildren – three girls and one boy. Together, we make biscotti and schlutzkrapfen, which my husband is also crazy about.”
Maria rolls out the dough for her delicious schlutzkrapfen – mezzaluna, or half-moon-shaped filled pasta typical of Alto-Adige. "My mother and grandmother stuffed them with nettle and wild spinach collected in the pastures, always according to nature and seasons."
We're in the kitchen of the apartment where she's resided for some time. The air is energetic and youthful, and the desire to do is contagious. “We farmers practice what we transmit every day. We have in-depth knowledge in many areas, we just have to dare and pass it on in a professional manner.”
Photo: Giacomo Bretzel
During the years she has taught her highly sought-after cooking lessons, she has discovered many local delicacies, such as the classic canederli dumplings, ricotta gnocchi, or walnut bread. “I'm shy,” she admits, “but when I put something in my head, I go all the way. So I decided to share what I know, even making some mistakes at the beginning. On the other hand, there is no evolution without errors, right? I always say this to those who follow my courses."
Her apple pie, with its cinnamon-flavored filling reminiscent of strudel, is inimitable. Recipes are below.
Schlutzkrapfen Recipe
Photo: Giacomo Bretzel
Ingredients for 8 servings
For the pasta
9 oz. | 250 g. 00 flour or all-purpose
9 oz. | 250 g. rye flour
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp. boiled mashed potatoes
1 Tbsp. seed oil
1 tsp. salt.
For the filling
1 lb. | 500 g. cooked and chopped spinach
2 Tbsp. ricotta
2 Tbsp. Parmigiano
1 small sliced onion
1 clove crushed garlic
butter
salt
nutmeg
pepper.
For the dressing
Parmigiano
chives
butter
Steps, in Maria's own words
For the pasta, mix all the ingredients by hand with 200-300 g. (6 - 10 oz.) of warm water to form a soft, smooth mixture. I let it rest for around 20 minutes. For the filling, I briefly fry the garlic and onion in butter, then combine with the other ingredients, adding the ricotta last.
I then thinly roll out the dough. Using the rim of a glass, I cut the dough into discs and stuff them with a little filling. I close in half to form a crescent and then cook the ravioli in boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain well and dress with melted butter, grated Parmigiano, and chopped chives.
Alto-Adige-Style Apple Pie
Photo: Giacomo Bretzel
Ingredients for a pie that serves 6-8 people
For the shortcrust pastry
2¾ cups | 350 g. all-purpose flour
5 oz. | 130 g. soft butter
4 oz. | 120 g. sugar
1 large egg
grated lemon zest
1 tsp. vanilla sugar
1 pinch of salt
1⁄2 tsp. yeast
For the filling
4-5 sliced peeled apples
2 Tbsp. | 30 g. breadcrumbs,
juice of ½ lemon
2 Tbsp. rum
2 Tbsp. raisins
2 Tbsp. pine nuts
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 pinch of cinnamon
butter
grated lemon zest
egg
powdered sugar
Steps, in Maria's own words
I prepare the whipped pastry and let it rest in the fridge for half an hour. I combine then mix the apples, lemon juice, rum, breadcrumbs that have been sautéed in a pan with butter, raisins, pine nuts, cinnamon, sugar, and lemon zest.
I divide the pastry into two parts and spread them out to half a centimeter. Place one on the bottom of a round baking pan (11″ | 28 cm). Pour in the filling then cover with the other pastry, pressing down on the edge. I brush with 1 beaten egg then bake at 180°C (350°F) for 35-40 minutes. I sprinkle with powdered sugar and then serve.