Radicchio & Ricotta Linguine
Also known as Italian or red chicory, radicchio is a brilliantly-colored lettuce that looks like a small cabbage. A cup of raw radicchio has only 9 calories, with nearly 130% of the daily value (DV) for vitamin K.
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Ingredients
- 8 oz whole-grain linguine or spaghetti
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 large shallots, finely chopped
- 5 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp ground fennel
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup packed grated Parmesan + additional for serving
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 cups sliced radicchio
- 1/2 cup toasted unsalted walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup packed roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Preparation
1. In a medium pot, cook pasta
according to package directions.
Reserve 1 1/4 cups of pasta cooking
water, then drain. Return to pot;
cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, prepare sauce: In a
medium saucepan on medium-low,
heat oil. Add shallots and garlic and
cook, stirring occasionally, until
shallots just begin to brown, about
5 minutes. Add fennel and pepper
and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Remove saucepan from heat and
carefully stir in 1 cup reserved pasta
water. Add ricotta, Parmesan, cream,
lemon juice and salt. Whisk until
ricotta is fully incorporated.
4. Add sauce to cooked pasta
followed by radicchio, walnuts
and parsley. Stir until sauce
thickens slightly and linguine
is coated. If sauce is too thick,
loosen with remaining 1/4 cup
reserved pasta water. Top servings
with additional Parmesan.
More Uses: Toss shredded radicchio with quinoa, pecans, edamame, dried cranberries, feta cheese and olive oil and serve in individual radicchio leaf “cups.” Radicchio is delicious grilled or braised: Cut heads into quarters, leaving core attached, then brush with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and minced rosemary and grill over medium-high heat until tender. It also pairs well with nuts and dried fruit: Tear radicchio into bite-size pieces and toss with baby arugula, fresh or dried figs and toasted walnuts; dress with a walnut vinaigrette.
Health Tip: Also known as Italian or red chicory, this brilliantly colored lettuce looks like a small cabbage. A cup of raw radicchio has only 9 calories, with nearly 130% of the daily value (DV) for vitamin K. And the vibrant color is not only visually appealing but also healthy for the eyes: The purple-red hue comes from its abundance of zeaxanthin and lutein, phenolic antioxidants that protect the eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Zeaxanthin and lutein also help to protect the vision process, improve visual acuity and protect against cataracts and age-related blindness. Additionally, zeaxanthin appears to prevent the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1/4 of recipe
- Calories 636
- Carbohydrate Content 63 g
- Cholesterol Content 59 mg
- Fat Content 35 g
- Fiber Content 9 g
- Protein Content 24 g
- Saturated Fat Content 13 g
- Sodium Content 543 mg
- Sugar Content 6 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 8 g