LEEK SAUCE FOR PASTA

LEEK SAUCE FOR PASTA image

Number Of Ingredients 9

Big pot of well-salted water, enough for leeks and pasta both
SAUCE
3 large leeks, cleaned and trimmed (see how to clean leeks), yielding about 12 ounces white and light-green parts
Zest of a lemon
1 tablespoon fresh basil (or another fresh herb, the inspiring recipe called for parsley, tarragon would be lovely)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
8 ounces penne pasta (see TIPS)
1 ounce grated Parmesan or another good cheese

Steps:

Bring the water to a boil. SAUCE After trimming, cut the leeks in half lengthwise. (Check for grit, they might need another rinse.) Drop the leek pieces into the boiling water and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and rinse quickly under cold water to stop the cooking. Squeeze gently to remove the excess water. In a food processor, combine the cooked leeks, lemon zest, basil, olive oil until soft and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. PASTA As soon as the leeks are cooked, return the water to a boil. Cook the pasta until about 3/4 done. Scoop about 2 cups of leek water out of the pot, then drain the pasta. COMBINE In the same big pot, combine the leek sauce and partially cooked pasta. Cook on quite high heat, stirring often, until the pasta finishes cooking, adding pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, when the sauce gets dry. The sauce should coat the pasta but still be slightly liquid since the cheese will thicken it. Add the cheese and cook for just another minute. Serve immediately.