Pasta With Bacon And Leeks Food

CHEESY LEEK & BACON PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the leeks and 2 tbsp water, and cook for about 10 mins until very soft. Add the bacon, turn up the heat and fry until cooked.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions. Drain and reserve a mug of the cooking water.
• Spoon cheese into the leek and bacon mix, adding some of the reserved cooking water. Season and stir gently over a low heat until melted. Toss through the cooked pasta, adding a little more cooking water, if needed, to help the sauce coat the pasta.

BLT PASTA BAKE: BACON, LEEKS, AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Place a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. When the water reaches a boil, add some salt and the pasta, and cook until al dente.
• While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and chopped bacon and cook until crisp.
• While bacon is cooking, split the trimmed leeks in half lengthwise, lay the leeks cut side down and thinly slice into half-moons. Fill a large bowl with water and mix the leeks into the water.
• Allow the water to settle and the dirt and the grit to settle to the bottle of the bowl. Using your hands, draw the leeks from the water, taking care not to unsettle the dirt.
• Drain the cleaned leeks on a kitchen towel, pat dry and, and then add to the pan with the bacon. Season the leeks with salt and pepper. Cook until leeks are tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• To start the cheese sauce, heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add the butter and melt, then add the flour, cayenne, and paprika and whisk together over the heat until the roux bubbles; cook for 1 minute more.
• Whisk in the milk and stock and raise the heat a little. Bring the sauce to a quick boil and simmer to thicken, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in 3 cups of the grated cheese and the mustard. Set aside.
• Add the cherry tomatoes to the leeks and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Drain the pasta and add it back to the pasta pot. Combine the reserved leek mixture and the cheese sauce with the pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer the pasta to a baking dish. Combine the remaining ½ cup of grated cheese with the bread crumbs.
• Top the pasta with the mixture. Place the dish under the broiler until the cheese melts and the bread crumbs are brown.

CREAMY PAPPARDELLE WITH LEEKS AND BACON

Steps:

• Heat oil and butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring often, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 5-8 minutes. Add leeks and season with salt. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until leeks begin to brown, 5-8 minutes. Add cream, thyme, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 5-8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid.
• Add pasta, Parmesan, and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid to sauce and stir to coat. Increase heat to medium and continue stirring, adding more cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta.

PASTA WITH LEEKS AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Trim root end of leeks, then cut off hard green leaves, leaving a bit of green where they meet the white part. Split leeks down the middle, then chop them, not too finely. Wash very well, and spin or shake dry. Set a large pot of water to boil, and salt it.
• Put half the butter or oil in a large skillet, and turn heat to medium-high. A minute later add garlic and chilies, and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic browns; remove chilies (and garlic if you prefer). Add leeks, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they wilt, about 10 minutes. Add pepper or tomato, and mushrooms, lower heat; continue to cook, stirring once in a while, until leeks begin to brown.
• Cook pasta until tender but not mushy. When it's done, drain it, reserving about ½ cup cooking liquid. Toss pasta and leeks together with remaining butter or oil, a few sprinklings of black pepper and all but a little of the parsley, adding a bit of cooking liquid if mixture seems dry. Taste and adjust seasoning, garnish with remaining parsley, and serve.