Artist’s Palate: Not Vital’s plain in pigna

The famously peripatetic Swiss artist Not Vital has worked in such locations as Beijing, Rio, Agadez and Bataan, but maintains close ties with his native Engadin, an Alpine valley famed for its wintry charms. This is evident from the subjects of his sculpture (snowballs encased in glass, a marble sled, an outsized cow’s tongue in stainless steel), his faithfully monochrome palette, and his eponymous foundation, dedicated to preserving the cultural assets of the region. It’s only natural that Vital would give us a traditional dish of grated potatoes, bacon and salsiz sausage. Its name, plain in pigna, means ‘full in the oven’ in his native Romansh. On the use of butter, he offers some sage advice: ‘Don’t be too hard on yourself, it’s one of the most important components.’
Ingredients
600g raw potatoes, roughly grated
50g Salsiz, diced to small pieces
50g bacon, diced to small pieces
100g butter
1 tbsp white flour
1 tbsp corn flour
Salt
Muscat pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Butter an iron gratin dish and mix in all the ingredients.
The dish should be filled to at least 3cm.
Bake the plain in pigna in the oven for about one hour.
Serves 4
INFORMATION
‘Not Vital, Univers Privat’ is on view until 19 November. For more information, visit the Bündner Kunstmuseum website
ADDRESS
Bündner Kunstmuseum
Bahnhofstrasse 35
7000 Chur
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TF Chan is a former editor of Wallpaper* (2020-23), where he was responsible for the monthly print magazine, planning, commissioning, editing and writing long-lead content across all pillars. He also played a leading role in multi-channel editorial franchises, such as Wallpaper’s annual Design Awards, Guest Editor takeovers and Next Generation series. He aims to create world-class, visually-driven content while championing diversity, international representation and social impact. TF joined Wallpaper* as an intern in January 2013, and served as its commissioning editor from 2017-20, winning a 30 under 30 New Talent Award from the Professional Publishers’ Association. Born and raised in Hong Kong, he holds an undergraduate degree in history from Princeton University.
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