Orecchiette with Roasted Radicchio

Recipe PREP 40 min plus resting time COOK 40 min to 1 hour

Orecchiette with Roasted Radicchio

PREP 40 min plus resting time COOK 40 min to 1 hour

Description

This simple yet flavorful dish combines homemade orecchiette pasta with roasted radicchio. Drizzled with olive oil and a splash of cider vinegar, it’s a delicious and nutritious meal. Semolina is rich in protein and fiber, promoting gut health. Radicchio, pine nuts, and raisins boost fiber and protein, while roasted vegetables make a delicious, nutritious sauce.

Note: Some semolina flour is too coarse to work in pasta dough. Be sure to look for the word “rimacinata” on the label, meaning “re-ground.” That’s what you want for this.

Ingredients

4 SERVES

1 cup (175 g) semolina flour
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (240 ml) water
1 head radicchio, quartered lengthwise, core left intact
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (40 g) pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup (45 g) raisins, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
1 tsp cider vinegar or lemon juice
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Make the pasta: In a large bowl, mix the two flours together with a whisk or wooden spoon and add 3/4 cup (180 ml) of the water. Combine, adding more water if needed to make the dough come together. Wrap and rest for an hour, then knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and supple. Rest the dough again (if time permits) for half an hour to let it relax.
Step 2

Cut the dough into pieces and roll them out into snakes about 1/2-inch (12 mm) thick. Cut the snakes into segments about 1-inch (2.5 cm) long and use a butter knife blade to push down on the dough while pulling back toward you, curling the dough around the blade. Open up the curl and place each piece on a floured baking sheet.
Step 3

Make the radicchio sauce: Heat the oven to 375˚F/190°C. In a bowl, toss the radicchio quarters in olive oil to coat them, lay them on a baking sheet, and roast them for about an hour, turning them to another cut side about halfway. You want them to be nicely caramelized. Remove them, let them cool a little, and then cut them into chiffonade.
Step 4

Put the radicchio in a pan with the pine nuts, raisins and their soaking liquid, and the vinegar. When the pasta is done cooking, add it to the pan, over medium-high heat. Toss the mixture well and add a ladle of pasta cooking water to make an emulsified sauce. Taste for seasoning and serve.