Bacon, Radicchio and Semi-Dried Tomato Pasta
"This is a twist-up of a BLT and it celebrates fall flavors, texture and aromas," Rach says. "I like a farro or whole-wheat pasta with this dish, but that's a matter of taste for the cook."
Rach's tip: The radicchio may also be grilled for a more pronounced smoky flavor.
- 2 large heads Treviso or radicchio, quartered lengthwise
- Extra-virgin olive oil non-aerosol spray
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- ⅓ pound meaty smoked pancetta, chopped, or bacon, diced
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped or thinly sliced
- About ¾ to 1 cup semi-dried tomatoes, drained (or sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped or sun-dried tomatoes reconstituted in hot water, drained and chopped)
- 1 pound farro or other spaghetti of choice
- Grated pecorino cheese or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 2 tablespoons aged Balsamic vinegar
- Chopped flat parsley, to serve
Heat a large pot of water to boil for pasta.
Preheat oven to 450˚F and arrange the purple lettuce on baking sheet. Spray with oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast 7 minutes, then turn to roast 5 minutes more. Remove, cool to handle and shred.
For the sauce, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, add the pancetta and render to crisp, 3 minutes. Add red onions and garlic and stir 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and reduce heat to low.
Salt water and cook pasta 1 minute less than package directions; drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water.
Toss pasta with sauce, cheese of choice and radicchio, adding reserved pasta water as needed to thin sauce. Finish with a fast drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar and parsley to serve.