Sunday supper: Pasta with Radicchio, Walnuts and Black Pepper

Serves 4.

From “Milk Street Backroads,” by Christopher Kimball and J.M. Hirsch, who write: “In Venice, where radicchio is much loved, home cook Francesco Bernardi taught us his recipe for this simple yet delicious and elegant dish, Pasta con Radicchio, Noci e Pepe Nero. Chopped radicchio is browned in garlic-infused olive oil, its flavor becoming rich and complex and its texture softening slightly. The layers of pleasantly bitter notes — from the radicchio and the toasted walnuts — are perfectly balanced by the nuttiness and umami of Parmesan, the bright tang of lemon juice and the pungency of black pepper.” (Voracious, 2025).

Directions

In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, toast the walnuts, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; reserve the skillet. Let the nuts cool slightly, then finely chop; set aside.

In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add the pasta and 1 tablespoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain.

In the same skillet over medium-high heat, combine the oil and garlic; cook, occasionally turning the cloves, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and discard the garlic, then add the radicchio, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper; stir to coat. Distribute the radicchio in an even layer and cook, stirring only once or twice, until well browned and tender-crisp, 2 to 4 minutes.

Add the pasta to the skillet and stir. Add half of the Parmesan, half of the walnuts and ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Reduce to medium and cook, stirring constantly and vigorously, until the pasta is lightly sauced, 1 to 3 minutes; add additional pasta water as needed if the mixture looks dry.

Off heat, stir in the remaining Parmesan, half of the parsley and the lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve drizzled with additional oil and sprinkled with the remaining walnuts, the remaining parsley, generous grindings of black pepper and additional Parmesan.

Cooking tips: Don’t begin cooking the radicchio until after the pasta has been drained because the radicchio takes only a couple of minutes in the skillet. If it waits in the pan for the pasta to finish, the radicchio will lose its texture. Also, don’t stir the radicchio too often during browning so it caramelizes nicely, creating compounds that build depth of flavor.