Pasta with Radishes

Pasta with radishes is a simple and tasty dish that combines the freshness of radishes with pasta. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 320 g of pasta (penne or fusilli work well)
• 1 bunch of radishes
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chili pepper (optional)
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
• Chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

Preparation

1. Clean the radishes and slice them thinly. If you prefer, you can set some aside to garnish the dish at the end.
2. Put on the water for the pasta and cook it al dente following the instructions on the package.
3. In the meantime, in a large pan, heat some extra virgin olive oil and add the crushed garlic cloves. If you like, you can add a bit of chili pepper for a spicy touch.
4. Add the sliced radishes to the pan and sauté them briefly. They should remain crunchy.
5. Drain the pasta and reserve some of the cooking water.
6. Remove the garlic from the pan and add the pasta to the radishes. Mix well, adding a bit of the cooking water if necessary to make it creamier.
7. Season with salt and pepper, and if you wish, add a handful of grated Parmesan cheese.
8. Serve the pasta garnished with chopped parsley and, if you decided to set some aside, a few slices of raw radish.

Fun Fact

Radishes are vegetables with a slightly spicy taste and a crunchy texture that add freshness to many dishes. In Italy, it’s not common to use radishes in pasta dishes, so this can be considered a pleasant variation that introduces a new flavor to the panorama of traditional Italian recipes. If you want to add an even more Italian touch, try sautéing the pasta with a light radish pesto, adding Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and maybe a bit of basil.