Pasta with Speck and Frisee
Pasta with smoky speck, slightly bitter frisee, and cream.
Ingredients
- 200 g Penne
- 100 g Speck
- 1 head Frisee lettuce
- 100 ml Heavy cream
- 40 g Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp Salt
Method
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- While the water heats, tear the frisée into bite-size pieces and slice the speck into thin strips.
- Cook the speck in the olive oil over medium-high heat until it crisps. Add the frisée and stir until it wilts, then pour in the cream and let it warm through.
- Cook the penne until just shy of al dente.
- Reserve a mugful of pasta water, then drain.
- Toss the penne in the sauce with the parmesan and a splash of pasta water until creamy.
- Serve at once.
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About Pasta with Speck and Frisee
This pasta with speck and frisée comes from the mountainous northeast of Italy, where speck, the smoked and dry-cured ham of Alto Adige, is a cornerstone of the cooking. It pairs that smoky, savory ham with a bitter leaf and a little cream, a combination that reflects the region's Alpine, Austrian-influenced palate more than the tomato-forward south. The dish is defined by balance: the richness of cream and the salt of speck set against the clean bitterness of the greens, so nothing overwhelms. Penne is a natural match, its ridges and hollow catching the light cream sauce.
On the plate it's smoky and rich but never heavy, the speck crisped in the pan for a bacon-like savor, the frisée wilted just enough to soften its edge while keeping a pleasant bitter bite. The cream is used sparingly and warmed rather than reduced, so it stays a light coating rather than a heavy blanket, loosened further with pasta water and enriched with Parmigiano. It's a cool-weather dish that feels a little more special than a weeknight tomato pasta yet still comes together in about twenty minutes. Serve it straight away, while the speck holds its crispness and the greens their color.
Pasta with Speck and Frisee: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Pasta with Speck and Frisee?
A serving has about 796 calories — 36.3g protein, 80.7g carbs, 35.6g fat, 6.3g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 36.3g of protein, roughly 18% of its calories.
Is Pasta with Speck and Frisee gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Penne. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Is Pasta with Speck and Frisee dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Heavy cream, Parmigiano-Reggiano. Swapping those for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
How long does Pasta with Speck and Frisee take to make?
About 21 minutes start to finish, but only around 13 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
How many servings does Pasta with Speck and Frisee make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.