Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta Preparation
- 400 g farfalle pasta, dry
- water
- 15 g kosher salt
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 400 g cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 300 g radicchio, cored and roughly shredded
- 100 g shallots, finely diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 30 ml olive oil
- 30 g unsalted butter
Sauce and Assembly
- 60 ml dry white wine
- 120 ml vegetable broth
- 120 ml heavy cream
- 3 g fresh thyme, leaves only, chopped
- 300 g smoked mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 50 g parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
- kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 628 kcal
- Protein
- 27 g
- Carbohydrates
- 63 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 1684 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 15 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 71 mg
- Potassium
- 805 mg
- Calcium
- 513 mg
- Iron
- 3.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 73 mg
- Phosphorus
- 588 mg
- Zinc
- 4.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 252 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 7 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.6 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 133 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.71 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.86 mg
- Niacin
- 7.6 mg
- Folate
- 226 mcg
- Water
- 196 g
- Alcohol
- 1 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F. Lightly grease the 9x13 inch baking dish with olive oil or butter to prevent sticking.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Stir in the 15g of kosher salt, then add the farfalle pasta. Boil the pasta for 8 minutes, or about 2 minutes shy of the package instructions for al dente, as it will finish cooking in the oven.
Reserve 120ml of the starchy pasta water in a small cup, then drain the farfalle in a colander. Set the pasta aside.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat until the butter melts and begins to foam. Add the sliced cremini mushrooms in a single layer and sear undisturbed for 4 minutes to develop a deep brown crust.
Reduce the heat to medium. Stir the mushrooms, then add the diced shallots, minced garlic, and fresh thyme. Sauté for 3 minutes until the aromatics are fragrant and the shallots become translucent.
Add the shredded radicchio to the skillet. Toss and cook for 2 minutes just until the leaves wilt. The heat will help mellow out the vegetable's natural bitterness.
Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned flavor bits stuck to the bottom. Simmer for 2 minutes until the liquid has mostly evaporated.
Pour the vegetable broth and heavy cream into the skillet. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer for 3 minutes to slightly thicken. Season with cracked black pepper and salt to taste, remembering that the cheeses will add their own saltiness.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the par-cooked farfalle, the hot mushroom and radicchio sauce, half of the shredded smoked mozzarella, and all of the grated parmesan cheese. Mix well, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water if the mixture looks dry.
Transfer the coated pasta mixture into your prepared baking dish, spreading it out into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining shredded smoked mozzarella evenly over the top.
Bake uncovered in the 200°C/400°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes. The casserole is ready when the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the cheese on top has melted into a golden-brown crust.
Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. This resting period allows the sauce to thicken and cling perfectly to the farfalle.
Chef's Notes
- Cooking the mushrooms undisturbed at first is crucial. Stirring them too early causes them to release their water and steam instead of caramelize, preventing the development of deep, savory flavor.
- Radicchio's bitterness is highly soluble in fat. The heavy cream and smoked mozzarella do an incredible job of mellowing out the astringency while letting its complex, earthy flavor shine through.
- For an extra layer of texture, toss a handful of panko breadcrumbs with olive oil and a pinch of salt, then sprinkle them over the cheese before baking to create a crispy topping.
- Do not rinse your pasta after draining. The residual starches on the surface of the farfalle are essential for helping the rich cream sauce adhere properly to the noodles.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent the pasta from drying out.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze in individual portions. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Cover tightly with foil and bake at 175°C/350°F until heated through, about 20 minutes, or microwave individual portions with a splash of water to steam.
Troubleshooting
Pasta is mushy and overcooked after baking
Cause: The pasta was boiled all the way to al dente or beyond before being added to the casserole.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Always undercook pasta by 2 to 3 minutes when preparing it for a baked dish.
Radicchio is overwhelmingly bitter
Cause: Radicchio was not cooked long enough, or there is an imbalance of fat to offset the bitter notes.
Fix: Drizzle a very small amount of balsamic glaze or a touch of honey over individual servings to balance the flavor.
Prevention: Ensure the radicchio is fully wilted during the sauté phase and do not skimp on the cream or cheese.
Casserole is too dry
Cause: Not enough pasta water was added during assembly, or the liquid was boiled off too aggressively during the simmer phase.
Fix: Warm a little extra heavy cream or vegetable broth and gently pour it over the individual portions when serving.
Prevention: Reserve ample pasta water and ensure the sauce is slightly looser than you want the final dish to be before baking.
Cultural Context
Baked pasta dishes, known as 'pasta al forno', are a cornerstone of Italian Sunday lunches and holiday meals, traditionally designed to feed a crowd and creatively utilize leftover ingredients. The combination of radicchio and smoked cheese is a nod to Northern Italian flavor profiles, particularly from the Veneto region where radicchio holds a prized culinary status. Incorporating these specific ingredients into a rustic casserole creates a modern bridge between elegant regional traditions and classic homestyle comfort.
