Equipment
Ingredients
Radicchio & Wrapping
- 2 chioggia radicchio, quartered, core intact
- 15 ml olive oil
- 100 g prosciutto crudo, thinly sliced
Béchamel & Topping
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 50 g all-purpose flour
- 500 ml whole milk, warmed
- 1 g ground nutmeg
- fine sea salt
- black pepper, freshly ground
- 80 g parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 422 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbohydrates
- 23 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 764 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 13 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 53 mg
- Potassium
- 800 mg
- Calcium
- 412 mg
- Iron
- 1.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 45 mg
- Phosphorus
- 321 mg
- Zinc
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 186 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 12 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.7 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 4.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 387 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.12 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.33 mg
- Niacin
- 0.7 mg
- Folate
- 102 mcg
- Water
- 259 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Lightly grease the baking dish with a small amount of butter or oil.
Trim the very bottom of the radicchio bases, then cut each head into quarters vertically. Leave the core intact so the leaves do not fall apart.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the radicchio wedges for 2 minutes on each cut side until lightly browned and caramelized. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Melt the unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until it smells slightly nutty, forming a pale roux.
Gradually pour in the warmed whole milk in a slow stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove the béchamel from the heat. Whisk in the ground nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning carefully, remembering that the prosciutto and Parmesan will add significant saltiness.
Wrap each seared radicchio wedge tightly with a single slice of prosciutto.
Spread a thin layer of the béchamel sauce across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange the prosciutto-wrapped radicchio wedges in an even layer over the sauce.
Pour the remaining béchamel sauce evenly over the top of the radicchio. Sprinkle the freshly grated Parmesan cheese across the entire dish in a generous layer.
Bake in the preheated 200°C/400°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce is vigorously bubbling and the cheese forms a deep golden brown crust.
Remove the gratin from the oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. This allows the boiling sauce to stabilize and makes serving significantly easier.
Chef's Notes
- Leaving the core intact when quartering the radicchio is non-negotiable; it acts as the structural anchor that prevents the delicate leaves from separating during the searing and baking process.
- The gentle bitterness of Chioggia radicchio cuts beautifully through the heavy richness of the dairy and pork fat. If serving to diners sensitive to bitter flavors, blanch the wedges in salted boiling water for 1 minute before searing.
- For the silkiest béchamel, always warm your milk in a separate pan or the microwave before whisking it into the hot butter and flour mixture. This prevents the fats from seizing and guarantees a lump-free sauce.
- If your oven runs cool and the top isn't browning by the end of the baking time, switch to the broiler for the final 2-3 minutes, watching constantly to prevent burning.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Reheat gently in the oven.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175 C oven for 15 minutes or until warmed through and bubbly.
Troubleshooting
Béchamel sauce is lumpy.
Cause: Cold milk was added too quickly to the hot roux, or insufficient whisking occurred.
Fix: Remove from heat and process the sauce briefly with an immersion blender, or pass it through a fine-mesh strainer before assembling.
Prevention: Warm the milk before adding it to the roux and pour it in a slow, steady stream while whisking vigorously.
Dish is too watery after baking.
Cause: Radicchio released too much moisture because it was not seared properly.
Fix: Carefully spoon out excess liquid from the edges of the baking dish, and return to the oven for 5 more minutes.
Prevention: Ensure the pan is hot enough when searing the radicchio to evaporate excess moisture and start the cooking process.
Gratin is overly salty.
Cause: Too much salt added to the béchamel, compounding the salt from the prosciutto and Parmesan.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked, but can be mitigated by serving alongside an unseasoned starch like plain polenta or crusty bread.
Prevention: Under-season the béchamel slightly, knowing the cured meat and aged cheese will season the dish during baking.
Cultural Context
Originating in Northern Italy, radicchio has been cultivated since the 15th century, with the round, striking Chioggia variety being one of the most popular. Baking these assertive, mildly bitter winter greens in rich, dairy-heavy sauces is a classic Venetian and Lombardian technique. The method, often termed 'al forno', was designed to balance the pungent flavors of winter vegetables while providing necessary warmth and caloric sustenance during the cold months.
