Rigatoni with Roasted Belgian Endive and Cremini Mushrooms

I was provided with a review copy of The Leafy Greens Cookbook at no cost to me. I did not accept monetary compensation for writing about the cookbook or about my experiences while trying the recipes. All opinions expressed are my own.

Some of you may remember that I incorporated a few recipes from Kathryn Anible's The Leafy Greens Cookbook into my weekly Menu Plan after receiving a review copy of the book in the mail. With so many fantastic-sounding options, choosing which of the 100 recipes to try first was difficult. Ultimately, I chose one vegetarian dish, one fish dish, and one poultry dish to get a better understanding of which greens paired best with which proteins (or lack thereof). Here's my adaptation of Kathryn's Roasted Radicchio and Mushrooms with Pasta.

Why did I adapt it? Because my local grocery store didn't have radicchio in stock and I didn't have time to go to another store. In situations like this, it's best to just go with the flow.

Thankfully, the Belgian endive they had in the store looked beautiful. I knew I'd be sacrificing on color variety in the final dish but took comfort in the knowledge that the flavor profile wouldn't be too far off. Especially since, like radicchio, the slight bite of Belgian endive mellows when it's cooked.

Tossing the Belgian endive and cremini mushrooms with olive oil and minced garlic brought out a sweetness in the endive and the earthiness of the mushrooms. Such a simple preparation yielded tremendously deep flavor.

Although I had to change the recipe a bit to accommodate the ingredients that were available, I don't doubt that using radicchio as originally instructed would result in a similarly flavorful meal. I don't normally pair greens with pasta like this, so trying Kathryn's recipe has certainly expanded my thinking!

Rigatoni with Roasted Belgian Endive and Cremini Mushrooms

Adapted from The Leafy Greens Cookbook by Kathryn Anible | Serves 4 | Printable Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 6 heads Belgian endive, halved lengthwise
• 8 ounces Cremini mushrooms, sliced (caps only)
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 pound dried rigatoni
• 1 cup white onion, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano, grated (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 475°F.
2. Place the Belgian endive halves and sliced Cremini mushrooms on a large baking sheet. Gently toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and the minced garlic. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until the Belgian endive has begun to caramelize.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water with a generous handful of kosher salt. Add the rigatoni and cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Shock the pasta in an ice bath until it is cool, then drain and set aside.
4. In a large pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
5. Cook the onion for 3 minutes, or until translucent, stirring occasionally.
6. Add the roasted Belgan endive and mushrooms, cooked pasta, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
7. Divide among serving dishes and top with grated Pecorino Romano, if desired.

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