Radicchi

Tutte le ricette di questa sezione sono frutto di esperienza, creatività e…. passaparola di Eleonora Berto, presenza quotidiana al nuovo negozio de “El Tamiso” Sotto il Salone n^28 a Padova. Gli ingredienti sono tutti da agricoltura biologica e le dosi sono indicativamente per quattro persone.

VARIEGATED SALAD WITH YOGURT SAUCE

INGREDIENTS: 500 g variegated chicory (or round white chicory), 1 jar of plain yogurt, lemon juice, 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, a few slices of onion (optional), a teaspoon fennel or fennel seeds, salt, a little chilli pepper.

PROCEDURE: Wash and dry the chicory leaves; prepare the sauce: chop the onion with the fennel seeds, pour into a bowl; add the oil, lemon juice, salt, chilli pepper; mix well, pour in the yogurt, mix and let the sauce rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. The sauce will be used to season the salad at the moment.

TREVISANA IN SAOR

INGREDIENTS: 700 grams of late Treviso chicory (early or heart chicory are also good), 2 onions, 20 pine nuts, 200 raisins, a glass of extra virgin olive oil, a tablespoon of vinegar, salt, pepper or chilli pepper.

PROCEDURE:

Divide each head of chicory in half; grease the pan with a little oil and cook, over low heat, the radicchio, turning it gently so as not to break it; place it in a well-stretched container.

Preparation of the “saor”: slice the onion very thinly and let it dry, over low heat in oil (time about 15 minutes), checking that it does not take color (it should not fry) add the vinegar, raisins, pine nuts, salt, pepper and cook another 5 minutes. Pour the 'saor' over the chicory, close the container and let it rest at least 24 hours before serving it. It is also good as a side dish.

VERONA AND WALNUTS TRICOLOR

INGREDIENTS: 350 g tricolor fusilli pasta (or other format), 500 g heart chicory (or other radicchio as long as it's red), n. 8 walnuts, garlic, parsley, 4 spoons of extra virgin olive oil, salt.

PROCEDURE: Wash the chicory leaves, dry them and cut them into fine strips. Pour the oil into the pan and cook, over high heat, the chicory with the salt and chilli pepper. Cook the pasta for the time indicated on the package, drain it and season with the chicory sauce. Chop the nuts with the garlic and parsley, pour over the pasta and serve.

RED CREPES

INGREDIENTS:

For 10 pancakes (pan diameter about 20): half a liter of milk (vegetable is also good), 250 g flour, 3 whole eggs, salt, a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
For the filling: 600 g round red chicory (or other radicchio as long as it's red) a medium onion, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, salt, 250 g crescent or other soft cheese.

PROCEDURE:

Pour the flour into a pan and, with the help of a whisk, incorporate the three eggs, oil and salt. While stirring constantly, add the cold milk a little at a time. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the filling: slice the onion and let it dry in oil, add the washed, dried and finely chopped chicory, salt and cook for 15 minutes on low heat.

Prepare the pancakes: heat a lightly oiled pan, pour in a ladle of batter, until the bottom is covered, turn it over with a wooden spatula and cook it on the other side as well. Proceed like this until the batter is used up, placing them on a plate —overlapping them- (they don't stick together). Fill each crepe with the chicory and the crescent, fold in half and then again in half. Place everything in a baking dish. Sprinkle the crepes with chopped (raw) chicory and crescent flakes. Bake at 160 degrees for 10 minutes.

CHICORY MEATBALLS

INGREDIENTS: gr. 200 red chicory of any variety, gr. 100 old bread, 100 grams breadcrumbs, 2 whole eggs, 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese, salt, parsley, garlic (chilli pepper), a glass of milk -including vegetable-.

PROCEDURE: Place the old bread in cold milk for 30 minutes. Wash and dry the chicory, cut it very small with a crescent or with a blender -but without making it into a pulp-. Chop the garlic and parsley. Squeeze the bread out of the milk, add the chicory, the beaten eggs, the Parmesan cheese, the salt and also the minced garlic and parsley. Work all the ingredients well. Add the breadcrumbs and finish kneading. With your hands always a little wet, form meatballs a little bigger than a walnut. Pass them in a pan greased with a little oil, turning them from time to time until a crispy crust forms. Serve warm.

FUGASSA WITH RED CHICORY JAM

INGREDIENTS: 250 g flour, 150 g red chicory, 250 g sugar, 100 g butter, 50 peeled almonds, 3 whole eggs, a lemon, a pinch of salt, half a bag of baking powder.

PROCEDURE:

Work the eggs with the sugar for 5 minutes. Add the softened butter, grated lemon peel and juice, salt. Finely chop the chicory (washed and dried) without making it too mushy. Chop the almonds. Pour everything into the dough. Finally, also add the flour and baking powder, sieving so as not to make lumps. Grease and flour a cake mold. Bake in a hot oven for 30 minutes at 160 degrees.

For the jam INGREDIENTS: 300 g red chicory, n. 3 red oranges, 200 g sugar.
PROCEDURE: Squeeze the oranges. In a saucepan, place the sugar and orange juice and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the finely chopped chicory leaves (washed and dried), without making them mush. Continue cooking until the jam is ready (about

25 minutes).