This delicious dish is quick and easy to make. If you don’t have lemon on hand, you can substitute balsamic vinegar. As well, you can grate the cheese yourself and serve it in a bowl or pass around a large wedge of cheese with a hand grater and let your guests grate their own over the pasta. Serve with a mixed green salad and crusty bread.
3 to 4 medium heads radicchio (about 1-1/2 to 2 pounds)
2 to 3 tbsp good-quality olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
1 lb fettuccine
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup or more Freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Slice radicchio heads in half vertically, then place flat-side down on cutting board and slice crosswise into
thin strips. Place in strainer and rinse well; let dry and set aside.
In large sauté pan, heat oil. Add onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add radicchio
and salt and pepper to taste and continue cooking, stirring often, until radicchio is wilted and starting to
caramelize, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Add lemon juice to taste (you might want to add a little more or less, depending on the tartness and
juiciness of the lemon) and parsley. Stir well and turn off heat. (Don’t cook more than a few seconds after
adding the lemon or the lemon will lose its fresh flavor.)
Meanwhile, in large pot of rapidly boiling salted water, cook pasta until tender but firm. Drain well, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Place pasta in large pasta bowl. Add radicchio mixture and toss well. If mixture is a bit dry, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water and toss again. Sprinkle
with parsley and grated cheese. Serve immediately.
Makes about 4 servings.
Wine suggestion:
We tend to enjoy this dish on cool or rainy nights; there is something wonderfully rustic and comforting in
the dish that helps warm one up in temperature and spirit. This dish pairs well with a bright Zinfandel or
Dolcetto. If you’re looking for a Dolcetto made in Napa Valley, we suggest you seek
out Pavi brand, a pretty wine made by our friend, Rob Lawson. -- Jim White
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