It’s not the first time that a wonderful recipe has come from our CSA newsletter (you may remember the Pottimaron squash and Gruyère soup that I posted a couple of years ago with an unusual way to make vegetable stock). The people who run Groundworks Organics and their team of farmers make me feel like a slouch. Not only do they assemble a giant tub of picked-that-day, clean produce for each of their CSA members, but also send out a thoughtfully written, weekly newsletter complete with recipes.
This Creamy Pappardelle with Radicchio and Walnuts comes from the newsletter, though it didn’t come as a recipe, just a single, irresistible sentence. “…Case in point was an unforgettably simple meal in Umbria of fresh tagliatelle in cream sauce with toasted pine nuts and chopped radicchio on top.”
And it is an unforgettably delicious combination that’s nearly effortless to prepare. Creamy sauce and buttery nuts and pappardelle perfectly complement peppery, pleasantly bitter radicchio.
I’ve used walnuts instead of pine nuts because, last I looked, pine nuts are something like $50 a pound and I had walnuts on hand. Walnuts aren’t as delicate, but still deliver a buttery crunch.
And the creamy sauce has a secret – it’s lighter than you’d think. Thanks to a clever trick from my friend Helen of Scrummy Lane: a bit of the starchy pasta cooking water replaces some of the cream without sacrificing flavor or silkiness all while helping the sauce adhere to the noodles.
Creamy Pappardelle with Radicchio and Walnuts
Ingredients
- 5 ounces dried pappardelle pasta
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ounce toasted walnuts chopped
- 1/2 small head radicchio thinly sliced into ribbons (about 3 ounces)
Instructions
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Put salted water on to boil for the pasta. Add pasta to boiling water.
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Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic; cook and stir just until fragrant. When pasta is about 2 minutes away from al dente, scoop the pasta and 1/2 cup cooking water directly into the garlic butter mixture. Cook and stir until pasta is done and sauce has bubbled down into a silky sauce. Add cream; cook and stir until sauce is bubbly and coats pasta. Remove from heat and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
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Divide pasta between two bowls and top evenly with walnuts and radicchio. Serve immediately.
It looks so tasty. I love the colors and the combination and everything.
Thank you so much, Sabrina!
Marissa, I’m not joking that every time I come to your blog, I feel the urge to go straight to my kitchen and try your recipes. This looks absolutely irresistible just like everything else you make. I love how the noodles are perfectly coated in the cream – not too heavy, not too light…just perfect <3
Beeta, you’re so sweet to me. Wish you lived closer. xo
YUM! this is making me hungry. The color together also are wonderful, great presentation!
Don’t you just love the purple of radicchio!? Thank you, Mary. 🙂
This is pasta perfection Marissa! I love the contrast in flavors and textures that are going on here. And these photos are so warm and inviting, absolutely stunning lighting!
awww, thanks so much Sonali! xo
I love this, Marissa – what a great (not to mention healthy) combo of flavours.
Your photos are incredible, too – makes me want to rush home and make this exactly as you describe!
P.S. Thanks for the mention! 🙂
Thanks so much for the inspiration, Helen!
Your CSA sounds incredible! And this pasta…yuuuum! Sounds like it’s perfectly balanced in texture and flavor and with the weather turning chilly here, I’ve been craving pasta!
Thank you, Faith! It’s honestly such a great CSA – I appreciate their work so much.
I adore radicchio! The lovely bitterness from the leaves would balance the creaminess in this dish perfectly. Looks delicious!
Thanks, Krys! I agree – radicchio adds just the right amount of bitterness to balance things out.
I just always love your pasta dishes and this one is so perfect and light. I think I’d add some pancetta for Dave… oh who am I kidding, it’s for me!
haha! I like the way you think, Kevin. Prosciutto would be a great addition.
Hi Marissa! This dish is a perfect balance of flavors and textures! I love pine nuts but like so many other things they have skyrocketed in price! I try to be creative in substituting ingredients when I just won’t pay for overpriced! And quite often the newly created dish is lovely!
Thanks, Dorothy! I agree completely – sometimes a little creative substitution leads to something even better than the original!
Well your CSA sounds wonderful! LOVE that they include recipes and uses for all the produce in your box! This dish looks absolutely delicious, Marissa! And SO pretty!! Love the flavors going on here! And while I do love pine nuts, they are SO expensive! Walnuts are a great swap! Can’t wait to try this! Pinned!! Cheers!
Thank you, my friend! xo
It sounds like you have a wonderful CSA! And speaking of wonderful, take a look at this dish! Pappardelle for one, is my favorite pasta. And I love the juxtaposition of flavors going on in this dish – bitter radicchio, rich cream, garlic, and toasted walnuts… it sounds just spectacular! Pinning of course!
Thanks, Kathleen! I’m with you, total sucker for any dish with Pappardelle!
I’ve always really had radicchio in salads but it sounds great with this pappardelle (one of my favourite pastas-yum!. And that’s great that you get recipes with your deliveries!
Thank you, Lorraine. I look forward to the newsletter every week – I’ve found dozens of gems in it. 🙂