Creamy pasta with chicory, crispy bacon and walnuts: a quick and irresistible recipe
Today we bring you a recipe that embodies the best of Italian cuisine: a creamy pasta where red chicory, known as radicchio, melds with onion, crispy bacon, and toasted walnuts in a perfect balance of flavor and texture.
Ingredients · Servings 2
- 180g of pasta (preferably fusilli)
- ½ head of red chicory (radicchio or curly escarole or endive)
- 50 g de bacon (o speck)
- 1 small onion
- 70g of Philadelphia-type cream cheese
- 8 walnuts
- 20g of grated Parmesan cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil (amount to taste)
Method · 17 min
- Clean the chicory. Remove any damaged outer leaves, rinse it under running water to remove any remaining soil, and cut it into thin strips.
- Chop the onion and sauté it in a pan with a little olive oil until softened. Add the chicory or escarole, cover, and cook for 5 or 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced.
- Meanwhile, boil the pasta in plenty of salted water following the time indicated on the package.
- Transfer the cooked chicory to a blender. Add the cream cheese and a little of the pasta cooking water. Blend until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Cut the bacon into strips or cubes and fry it in a pan without oil until golden brown and crispy. Set aside.
- Pour the chicory cream into the pan, add the drained "al dente" pasta, and then add the grated Parmesan cheese. Sauté for a few seconds over high heat until the mixture becomes creamy.
- Serve and garnish: Divide the pasta among the plates, sprinkle with chopped walnuts, and top with crispy bacon. Serve immediately, piping hot. And that's it!
