I admit it. I’m a sucker for a pretty vegetable. Put me in front of a pile of purple artichokes, a bunch of pink radishes or iridescent chartreuse broccoli and I load up my shopping cart. But I’m not completely shallow. I do keep my eye on prices. I don’t fall for the crazily overpriced first crop of peas, nor do I succumb to early bouts of asparagus.
But faced with twirling, magenta leaves of radicchio di Treviso and there I go, forking over all kinds of money. Yes, I fall for the sexy swish of the variegated leaves. I love the way they curl one way and then the other. I admire the sturdy root that holds everything together, like some sort of leafy torch. And I usually just avert my eyes when I see what this beauty costs.
In markets like Campo de’ Fiori, which cater to the wealthy, almost every stand holds at least one crate of these beauties this time of year, trucked in straight from Treviso. But even I draw the line at paying up to 20 Euros a kilo for what is basically red lettuce, no matter how wonderful it tastes. Which is why I was so happy to see this delicacy turn up at my weekly farmer’s market.
My favorite stand at the Farmer’s market has had them for the past few weeks, at half the price. “A friend of mine is growing them outside of Viterbo” said my farmer. Half the trip, half the price.
But still, 12 Euros a kilo is nothing to laugh at, so I had to content myself with just a couple of heads. While I could have simply grilled them, letting the slightly bitter flesh turn into a sweet and charred side dish, I decided to add them to a pasta and call it a meal.
I’ve been playing around with whole grain pasta lately. (Yes, we’re back on carbs, but trying to make them at least a bit more complex when possible.) So whole grain penne got topped with my lovely leaves, with only some spring onions and a smattering of crumbled goat cheese to make it more hearty.
Like so many shockingly beautiful vegetables, radicchio di Treviso looses its visual allure once cooked. But of course makes up for it by doing that magical radicchio thing of turning completely sweet and creamy with only the slightest hint of chicory bitterness.
Worth every cent. 
pasta with radicchio
5 cups chopped radicchio*
5 scallions
4 Tablespoons olive oil
salt, pepper
3/4 cup of crumbled goat cheese
1 pound / 1/2 kilo of whole wheat penne
If you can find radicchio di Treviso that’s great. If not, you may want to try using Belgian endive, which is closer in taste (sweeter) than the hard balls of radicchio di Chioggia that are more available. Or mix the two.
Roughly chop the radicchio
Slice the scallions, including some of the tender green part too.
Bring a large salted pot of water to boil, and add the pasta.
While it’s cooking, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the radicchio and let it cook for about 8 minutes, wilting. Season with about a half tsp of salt and freshly ground pepper. When it is almost done, add the scallions, stir and taste for seasoning.
Drain pasta, reserving one cup of the cooking water.
Add pasta to the pan with the radicchio, heating it through and stirring, adding a bit of the cooking water to moisten it up.
Take off heat, and add the cheese, stirring it to distribute. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil, and serve.
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I miss radicchio tardivo so much. As a Venetian in London, I really have a hard time finding it, and when I do, it costs as much as lobsters. Beautiful pasta, it’s just what I would gladly have today for lunch!
I too am a sucker for lovely vegetables – especially those I don’t see in the US. I am exhausted after 5 minutes in a shoe store, but can spend an hour salivating over the many different types of radicchio found in the Veneto – from the Treviso and Chioggia to the varigated radicchio from Castelfranco. I bet the latter would be wonderful in your pasta dish, some describe it as a cross between endive and radicchio. Your flavors would make a great risotto as well 🙂
http://www.italiaoutdoorsfoodandwine.com/index.php/food/veneto/11-food/veneto/11-radicchio
Radicchio is easy to grow. I buy Franchi Sementi at a local organic nursery here in Oregon, and the results are spectacular!
Thanks for this easy way to use radicchio. I had not used it with pasta before; this is brilliant.
p.s. of course your sensual decriptions got me reading through to the end!
It’s great on pasta, I hope you try it!
I have been trying to find a whole wheat pasta brand that I really like –
some are just too “heavy” – what brand do you use and is it available on line or in the US ? Thank you.
Yes, I know, and often mealy too. Benedetto Cavalieri is doing a whole wheat pasta now, you may be able to order it through Zingerman’s.
I actually prefer whole wheat pasta — and find Barilla is very, very close to regular (to my palate, anyway! 🙂
I like the whole wheat organic spaghetti from Bio Naturae – its all the other shapes that I find heavy.
Zingermans doesn’t have the Benedetto Cavalieri brand but did have
a Heirloom Wheat made by Rustichella and a Morelli ” pre war pasta from Tuscany” – both made with whole not refined grains.
I will keep my eye out for the Cavalieri.
Elizabeth – is whole wheat pasat growing in popularity in Italy, as it is here ?
It always amazes me that the “Harvest time” for Tardivo is January-March.
i think that like a lot of chicories it’s needs that cold snap to make it great.
looks yummy yummy!
Yes!!!! Just back from Venice and Dolomites. Ate Radicchio di Treviso most every night – whenever it was offered. Pasta, Risotto, Grilled, pizzimonio, etc. etc.
Now, talk about a vegetable — how about helping me with puntarelle? Had those crunchy, curly bits on top of a hand-made ravioli filled with fresh peas mixed with ricotta, and the yoke of an egg tucked in the middle.
These products are really tasty if you know how to prepare them. It looks delicious. I will try it asap!