Radicchio, Speck, and Walnut Pasta

Radicchio, speck, and walnut pasta is an autumnal dish rich in flavors that perfectly balance each other. It is an easy and quick recipe that can bring great satisfaction to the palate.

Ingredients

• 320 g of pasta (penne or farfalle are a good choice)
• 200 g of red radicchio
• 100 g of thinly sliced speck
• 50 g of shelled walnuts
• 1 small onion
• 100 ml of cooking cream (optional)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Grated Parmesan (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by cleaning the radicchio, removing the hard core and outer leaves. Then cut it into strips that are not too fine and rinse under running water.
2. Finely chop the onion and sauté it in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Once it has taken on some color, add the speck cut into strips and let it flavor for a few minutes.
3. Add the radicchio to the pan with the onion and speck, season with salt and pepper to your taste. If you prefer a softer texture for the radicchio, you can cover with a lid and let it stew for about 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil for the pasta and cook it according to the package instructions.
5. Lightly toast the walnuts in a non-stick pan or in the oven, then roughly chop them.
6. If you want to make the dish creamier, you can add the cooking cream to the radicchio and speck just before turning off the heat.
7. Drain the pasta al dente and add it to the pan with the radicchio and speck sauce. Mix well and let the pasta absorb the flavors for a minute or two.
8. Serve the pasta on plates, sprinkling with the chopped walnuts and, if desired, a generous grating of Parmesan.

Trivia

Radicchio is a vegetable typical of the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions, especially the Treviso variety which has IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) status. It is also grown in winter and its slightly bitter taste is highly appreciated in Italian cuisine, both in raw preparations like salads and in cooked dishes like this pasta.