Spaghetti with Radicchio and Gorgonzola

Spaghetti with radicchio and gorgonzola is a flavorful dish that combines the slightly bitter taste of radicchio with the creaminess and intensity of gorgonzola. Here’s the recipe for preparing this first course.

Ingredients

• 320 g of spaghetti
• 200 g of red radicchio
• 150 g of spicy or sweet gorgonzola, depending on your taste
• 1 shallot
• 100 ml of cooking cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Dry white wine to taste (optional)
• Chopped walnuts for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. Clean the radicchio, cut it into thin strips, and wash it well. Finely chop the shallot.
2. Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a pan and sauté the chopped shallot until it becomes transparent.
3. Add the chopped radicchio to the pan and let it wilt, stirring occasionally. If you like, deglaze with a bit of dry white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
4. Cut the gorgonzola into cubes and add it to the radicchio in the pan. Allow the cheese to melt slowly, stirring occasionally. If the cheese is too thick, you can add a little pasta cooking water.
5. Add the cooking cream and stir until you obtain a smooth cream. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
6. In the meantime, cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted water according to the package instructions to achieve al dente cooking.
7. Drain the spaghetti, saving some of the cooking water, and transfer them to the pan with the radicchio and gorgonzola sauce. Mix well to combine the pasta with the sauce. If necessary, add some of the cooking water to make the sauce creamier.
8. Serve the spaghetti hot, and if you wish, garnish with chopped walnuts for a crunchy touch.

Curiosity

Radicchio is a vegetable typical of the northern regions of Italy, particularly Veneto, where the late variety from Treviso is also grown, famous for its sweeter taste and crunchy texture. Combined with gorgonzola, a cheese from Lombardy or Piedmont with a strong flavor, it creates a very interesting contrast of flavors.