Lasagna Rolls with Radicchio — a delicious and special first course. The recipe I want to share today is for a tasty and flavorful first course, perfect for a special occasion or simply to make an ordinary day special. They are creamy inside, slightly crispy on top and have a balanced flavor between the delicate bitterness of the radicchio and the savory note of the speck. They are so good they win you over at the first bite. The radicchio is the true star: with its intense color and slightly bitter character, it adds personality to the dish without overpowering the other ingredients. Sautéed in a pan and blended with the bechamel, it becomes soft and enveloping, creating a creamy and delicious filling, perfect to roll into fresh lasagna sheets to make dramatic and irresistible swirls. Radicchio is a winter vegetable rich in fiber, minerals and antioxidants. Its slightly bitter flavor softens during cooking, becoming sweeter and more harmonious, although I also love it raw in salads. I personally prefer to use the long radicchio, which is more intense and slightly bitter, but you can also choose another type of radicchio. Baked pasta is a dish that immediately feels festive in all its versions like my Baked Pasta, the Quick Baked Pasta and the Baked Pasta alla Sorrentina. So, have I convinced you to try this recipe? Let’s run to the kitchen and prepare together these irresistible Lasagna Rolls with radicchio and speck.
AND DON’T MISS THESE RECIPES TOO:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 409.88 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 27.30 (g) of which sugars 5.31 (g)
- Proteins 22.61 (g)
- Fat 23.39 (g) of which saturated 7.48 (g)of which unsaturated 5.77 (g)
- Fibers 1.76 (g)
- Sodium 1,140.75 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 200 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Lasagna with Radicchio
- 6 fresh lasagna sheets
- 1 head Treviso IGP red radicchio, early variety
- 1 white onion (medium)
- 1/2 cup red wine
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 4.2 oz speck
- 7.1 oz smoked scamorza
- 1 2/3 cups béchamel
- 1.4 oz grated Parmesan cheese
- to taste salt
How to prepare the Lasagna Rolls with radicchio
Separate the radicchio into leaves. Wash them and cut into not-too-thin strips. Pour 2–3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into a frying pan. Add the thinly sliced onion and the radicchio. Add a little salt and a pinch of pepper. Let sauté for 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon.
Pour the red wine over the radicchio and let it evaporate over medium heat. Let the radicchio cook for 5–6 minutes until it becomes soft. At the end of cooking add the speck cut into strips to the pan, mix and after one minute turn off the heat. Let it cool. While the radicchio is cooking prepare the bechamel following my recipe at How to make bechamel.
Lay the fresh lasagna sheets on the work surface. Spread a thin layer of bechamel. Distribute 2–3 tablespoons of the radicchio and speck filling. Add a few cubes of smoked scamorza. Roll from the shorter side to form a filled roll. Prepare all the sheets the same way.
Cut each roll into 4 pieces. Spread a few tablespoons of bechamel on the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange the swirls in the dish, side by side, spreading them slightly apart. Spoon more bechamel over them, letting it fall inside the swirls. Cover generously with grated Parmesan. Bake the Lasagna Rolls with radicchio in a preheated static oven at 374°F for 18-20 minutes.
See you tomorrow with a new recipe, hugs, Loredana
Loredana’s Tips
I used thin fresh lasagna sheets, but if you prefer thicker sheets they work fine too, or you can make them at home or use dried sheets after pre-cooking them
If you prefer you can replace the smoked scamorza with regular scamorza or another soft, melty cheese
Also try the recipe for Stuffed puff pastry swirls
Your questions
Can I prepare the lasagna rolls in advance?
Yes, you can assemble them the day before and store them covered in the refrigerator. Bake them shortly before serving for a creamier result
Can the lasagna rolls with radicchio and speck be frozen?
Yes, it’s better to freeze them raw already placed in the baking dish. When you want to cook them, let them thaw in the refrigerator and then bake as usual
Can I substitute the speck?
Of course. You can use pancetta or cooked ham, or make a vegetarian version by omitting it and adding walnuts or gorgonzola for a richer flavor
How to prevent the rolls from becoming too dry?
Add plenty of bechamel on top and cover the dish with aluminum foil or parchment for the first 15 minutes of cooking. Uncover only at the end to allow browning.
