Much like the humble cabbage, radishes don't get the respect they deserve. They're delicious chilled and dipped in whipped butter, shaved atop a piquant taco and roasted—as they are here—until their spice gives way to a subtle sweetness. For this simple but soul-satisfying recipe, we'll use the whole of the vegetable by treating the radish tops a bit like a pesto and mixing them into pasta with parmesan, garlic and bacon.

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Ingredients

Serves 2; can easily be doubled

1 bunch radishes
8 oz pasta
3 slices bacon
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup grated parmesan, plus more to garnish
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the tops off the radishes, wash and dry both thoroughly.

Cut the radishes in halves or quarters, depending on size, and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, until they are tender and browned on the bottom.

Put a pot of well-salted water on to boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, reserving the pasta water at the end.

Make sure the radish greens are well rinsed and dried. Trim off the ends of the stems and discard. Roll the leaves up and cut into 1/4" ribbons. Thinly slice one clove of garlic.

While the radishes and pasta cook, slice the bacon into 1/2" batons and cook in a large skillet over medium heat until cooked through and crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan, leaving the fat.

Add the sliced radish tops and cook for 2 minutes until wilted, then add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes until fragrant.

Turn the heat to low, then add the pasta to the pan along with 1/2 cup reserved pasta water. Mix well, moving the pan as you stir to help the water and fat emulsify. Add the parmesan and stir again to combine.

Stir in the roasted radishes and the bacon strips, then taste and add salt if needed. Serve with a bit of extra parmesan sprinkled on top.