How to Make Braised Radicchio with Pancetta
This Italian dish mixes the bitter radicchio with salty pancetta and cooks both to a melting tenderness. The dish isn't technically braised, but the word is appropriate because so much moisture is drawn out of the radicchio during cooking. Yields four appetizer portions. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- toothpicks
- cracked black pepper
- 8 long strips pancetta
- 1 head radicchios
- Toothpicks
- Cracked Black Pepper
Instructions
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1
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
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2
Remove the first outer leaves of the radicchio and slice it vertically into quarters so that each quarter has some of the core.
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3
Slice the core piece off each quarter.
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4
Wrap two pieces of pancetta around each quarter and secure with toothpicks.
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5
Place the wrapped quarters on a baking sheet and season with the pepper.
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6
Bake until the radicchio is tender, 15 to 25 minutes.
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7
Test for doneness by removing a piece and inserting a paring knife or skewer into the deepest part of the radicchio. If the radicchio is tender throughout, it's done.
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1
Tips & Warnings
An alternate way of cooking this dish is to sauté the pancetta-wrapped wedges in olive oil on all sides, then add 1/4 c. white wine and cover the pan. The wine will steam the radicchio.
Radicchio is a type of chicory. Most sold in America resembles a little round red cabbage. These are fine, but if possible, buy radicchio di Treviso, which has an elongated shape and is slightly sweet. You can substitute Belgian endive for the radicchio (leave the endive whole).
Pancetta is sold rolled in a log, but your grocery store will slice it for you. Ask for slices about as thick as a nickel and as long as they can make them. The slices should be able to wrap all the way around the quarter pieces of radicchio, maybe even 1 1/2 times. Take the time to look for real pancetta, which is Italian, salt-cured bacon. American bacon is much different.
