Roasted radicchio with bacon and pangritata

Serves 4

Roasted radicchio with bacon and pangritata (Jason Lowe)

Radicchio is one of those winter salad leaves that goes in and out of vogue but personally I'm a fan, especially when it's grilled or roasted. The flavour changes once cooked and it makes a perfect starter or side dish.

2 large or 4 small heads of radicchio, quartered, washed and dried
4-5tbsp olive oil
120g pancetta or smoked streaky bacon cubes

For the crust

2tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
50g fresh white breadcrumbs
A couple of good knobs of butter

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 5. Heat an ovenproof pan on the stove with a tablespoon of the olive oil, gently fry the pancetta for a couple of minutes, turning them as they are cooking, add the radicchio, season, spoon over the rest of the oil, cover with foil and cook in the oven for 10 minutes; remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes, turning the radicchio and basting with the oil as it's cooking.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan and brown the breadcrumbs on a medium heat, turning them with a spoon as they are cooking until lightly coloured. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan and season.

Transfer the radicchio and pancetta to a warmed serving dish, spoon over the oil and scatter the crumbs over.