Leek Cacio e Pepe
A classic pasta dish gets a vegetable-ly twist. The sweetness of the leeks combined with the cheesy, creamy, peppery sauce makes for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
- 500 g spaghetti
- 2 leeks, finely sliced
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 50 g butter
- 1 cup chicken/vegetable stock
Instructions
- In a pan over low heat, saute the garlic in olive oil making sure it doesn't brown. Add the sliced leek and 1 cup of stock and let it simmer covered for 20-25 minutes or until leeks are soft. When leeks are soft enough, process with a handheld blitzer to make a smooth creamy sauce.
- Return sauce back to the pan, add the grated cheese and season well with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile while leeks are cooking, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions. Reserve a cup of the starchy cooking liquid then drain, rinse pasta in cold running water and set aside.
- Toss the cooked pasta into the leek pan, loosen the sauce with the reserved cooking liquid and butter.
Easy Swap: Another vegetable that works well with cheese and would add to the creaminess without adding cream is the humble cauliflower.
