Pumpkin Quiche with Radicchio and Speck

February 18, 2026

Serves 4-6:

  • 600-650 g of pumpkin puree (see the method below)*
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 100 g of Speck, chopped or cut into lardons
  • 80 g of radicchio di Chioggia, cut into thin strips
  • 250 ml of double cream
  • 2 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
  • 4-5 sage leaves, chopped
  • a tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
  • a generous seasoning of grated nutmeg, just under a quarter of a teaspoon
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 round sheet of ready rolled all butter puff pastry, 320 g

Preheat the oven to 180 C – static.

Use a round baking dish, about 26 cm in diameter with the border about 2-3 cm in height.

Roll out and place the sheet of puff pastry (on the grease-proof paper attached to it) over the baking dish and press it into the bottom and the edges of the dish. If there is too much of the pastry overhanging, cut off the excess.

Prick the pastry all over the base using a fork (this stops the pastry from puffing up too much), cover with baking paper, fill with baking beans and blind bake for about 15 minutes.

Take the dish out from the oven, remove the baking paper along with the ceramic beans and bake the pastry for a further 5 minutes, until the pastry is dry to the touch but still only lightly coloured.

Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over a medium heat.

Add the sliced onion, season with some salt and fry gently for about 10 minutes.

Add the speck and fry everything together for a further 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a large bowl whisk together: the pumpkin puree, cream and egg yolks.

Season generously with the nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Stir in the chopped herbs, radicchio and the fried onions with the speck (along with any oil left in the pan).

Increase the temperature of the oven to 200 C-static.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold them into the pumpkin mixture.

Spoon the pumpkin filling into the the pastry shell.

Bake for about 35 minutes, until the filling is set and the pastry turns crisp and golden.

Let it cool for about 5 minutes before slicing.

Serve with a radicchio salad dressed with some olive oil and a good balsamic vinegar.

*To make pumpkin puree: peel, clean and cut into evenly sized cubes about 800-900 g of pumpkin. I always use the Delica pumpkin variety as the flesh is very sweet and well concentrated.

Transfer the pumpkin chunks onto a baking tray laid with baking parchment.

Bake in the preheated oven to 180 C – static for about 30 minutes. Check if it’s ready by inserting a sharp knife. Once the pumpkin pieces are soft enough take them out of the oven, allow to cool down a little and blend into a puree using a hand blender.