Roman Beans with Pancetta and Seared Radicchio
- Makes4-6 servings
- Cook Time25 minutes
In the Veneto region of northeastern Italy, the combination of beans and radicchio is classic. For this warm salad-like dish, we cut radicchio into wedges and sear it to mellow its bitterness and soften its texture so the leaves meld nicely with tender, creamy beans. Fried sage rounds out the flavors with herbal notes and a garlic-lemon vinaigrette adds pungency and brightness while tying everything together. Roman beans also are known as borlotti or cranberry beans (pink kidney beans are a fine substitute); here we use canned for weeknight convenience. Try to purchase pancetta in a chunk rather than thinly sliced so it can be chopped into small pieces that fry up with a crisp-chewy texture.
Don’t forget to trim off the core from each radicchio wedge. With the core removed, the leaves will separate and, when cooked, soften more quickly than if the layers are intact.
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