Presto Pasta Night: Orecchiette With Radicchio, Feta Cheese, and Walnuts

My family moved to Illinois when I was 12 years old.  We lived in a sub-division called Buffalo Grove, a tiny place which gradually expanded into a huge entity.  We quickly became friends with a second generation Italian-American family across the street.  I loved spaghetti and meatballs, along with lasagna and ravioli, the only Italian food I recognized, so it was a treat to eat at their house.  One day my mother told me our new friends ate spaghetti in many different ways, even serving it mixed with peas.  I was flabbergasted.  Peas?  I couldn't imagine such a thing.  Of course, in time I came to love pasta combined with vegetables.  I still love tomato sauce, but I'm more likely to cook pasta with vegetables, a bit of cheese, herbs, and olive oil.  And I discovered that freshly shelled peas are marvelous tossed with good pasta and parmesan cheese.

I had no recipe in mind for  fixing pasta today, but when I saw the radicchio and basil in the produce section, it was settled. I added toasted walnuts and feta cheese, as well.   I knew the slightly bitter radicchio would go nicely with the bland pasta, salty feta, and crunchy walnuts.  This radicchio was pricey and I wondered yet again why I don't grow it?  If you don't like the bitter taste, soak the leaves in cold water for about ten minutes before you cook them. 

This recipe is my submission for Presto Pasta Night, created by Ruth at Once Upon A Feast.  She'll have a round-up of pasta recipes from around the world tomorrow.  So, do check it out!

Orecchiette With Radicchio, Feta Cheese, and Walnuts

Note: If you want to remove some of the bitter taste in the radicchio, soak the leaves in cold water for around 10 minutes before you slice them.

1 pound dry orecchiette or other pasta of your choice
radicchio--I used a head approximately the size of a small grapefruit. Use more or less as you wish
about 2/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted for about 3-5 minutes in a hot skillet
4 ounces crumbled cheese--feta, Gorgonzola, goat cheese, Parmesan, etc.  Your choice.
1/2 cup shredded fresh basil
2 teaspoons of chopped garlic
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup of the water the pasta was cooked in
salt and pepper

Boil water for the pasta, and salt it well.  As the water comes to a boil, slice the radicchio.   Add the oil to a hot skillet and cook the garlic and radicchio for about 2-3 minutes , until it has wilted some.  Set aside. Once the pasta has cooked, drain it, then put it back in the cooking pot and add the cooked radicchio and garlic, the walnuts, basil, and cheese.  Add some of the pasta water (I used 1/2 cup of it) and mix it all together until the cheese is creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Serves 4

Comments

[Peter]

Exellent choice of pasta...the "little ears" catch pieces of feta, brilliant, simple dish!

[MyKitchenInHalfCups]

Orecchiette catches all the good stuff in it's bowl shape and I just fall right in . . . anyway that's the picture I have of this will all that good feta and walnuts and radicchio. Looks really good. Don't think it would go with the corn bread though which I'm baking today.

[Ruth]

Great dish, but no surprise...yours always are! Thanks for sharing with Presto Pasta Nights.

[Lydia]

I didn't know that soaking radicchio would remove some of the bitterness. Great tip!

[Deborah]

I have never had orecchiette before, but have seen it on a few blogs. I need to look for it, as it sounds like a great pasta!!

[Glenna]

Oh wow! Looks both fabulous and healthy!

[Katie]

I love nuts with sharp cheeses - walnuts with feta or goat cheese is perfect.
Spaghetti with peas? Your childhood illusions must have been shattered!

[mosaic cats]

I forget...did I propose to you yet this week?
You are very evil, Sher. I think you drop little morsels on my blog to lure me over here in hopes I'll see something low carb and boring. LIKE TURKEY BURGERS.
And I get THIS.
Feta, walnuts, PEAS, garlic, basil, pasta...6 of my top 6 favorite food groups.
The family-sized Stouffers Chicken Enchilada dinner I have in the oven will be no consolation now, thanks to you.
I wish I liked to cook SO much.
(Thanks for the Animal Planet script idea. I'm not sure what it means, but it got me a little excited when I read it!)
I'll do that if you'll open a restaurant in NC that does take out.

[Kevin]

I like the combination of radicchio, feta and walnuts.

[aria]

ooh yum, this looks delicious. i love peas in pasta too, i wonder if thats an italian thing. you'll appreciate this, we went to a new italian place in the pacific palisades last night, the special was white truffle raviolis for the low low price of 90$, can you stand it!?

i had tuna carpaccio and spaghetti carbonara.

[kellypea]

OH. YUM. All my favorite flavors. I'm marking this one for sure.

[Patricia]

I can't believe I almost missed this post, Sher - love, love, love the ingredients you added to the pasta, wonderful dish!

[jared]

I made this last night. I loved the sound of the ingredients but it didn't come totally together for me. in fact, i might add some peas to the leftovers for dinner tonight :) Course, I love peas.
Oh, and these leftovers turn purple, how fun!

[clumsy]

I always shy from Feta in pasta, though I don't know why. I'll have to try this one.

Does the cheese melt into the dish?