Linguine with Radicchio and Ricotta
Radicchio is more than just a pretty leaf. Here it brings color, texture, and nutrition to a simple pasta.
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Radicchio is more than just a pretty leaf. Also known as Italian or red chicory, this brilliantly-colored plant looks like a small cabbage. A cup of raw radicchio has only nine calories, with nearly 130 percent of the daily value for vitamin K. And the vibrant color is not only visually appealing but also healthy for the eyes: The purple-red hue comes from its abundance of zeaxanthin and lutein, phenolic antioxidants that protect the eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Zeaxanthin and lutein also help to protect the vision process, improve visual acuity and protect against cataracts and age-related blindness. Additionally, zeaxanthin appears to prevent the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Here it’s tossed around with linguine and a cream-cheese combo. You could easily swap your favorite dairy-free alternatives, such as Silk’s heavy cream and Kite Hill ricotta.
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(Pasta with Chickpeas)
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Linguine with Radicchio and Ricotta
Ingredients
- 8 oz whole-grain linguine or spaghetti
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 large shallots, finely chopped
- 5 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp ground fennel seed
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup packed grated veggie Parmesan + additional for serving
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 cups sliced radicchio
- 1/2 cup toasted unsalted walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup packed roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Preparation
1. In a medium pot, cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 1/4 cups of pasta cooking water, then drain. Return to pot; cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, prepare sauce: In a medium saucepan on medium-low, heat oil. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots just begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add fennel and pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Remove saucepan from heat and carefully stir in 1 cup reserved pasta water. Add ricotta, Parmesan, cream, lemon juice and salt. Whisk until ricotta is fully incorporated.
4. Add sauce to cooked pasta followed by radicchio, walnuts and parsley. Stir until sauce thickens slightly and linguine is coated. If sauce is too thick, loosen with remaining 1/4 cup reserved pasta water. Top servings with additional Parmesan.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1/4 of recipe
- Calories 636
- Carbohydrate Content 63 g
- Cholesterol Content 59 mg
- Fat Content 35 g
- Fiber Content 9 g
- Protein Content 24 g
- Saturated Fat Content 13 g
- Sodium Content 543 mg
- Sugar Content 6 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 8 g