Penne Sauced with Leeks and Lemon

Title:
Penne Sauced with Leeks and Lemon

Yield:
4 Servings

Categories:
Entree




Ingredients:





     5    Trimmed medium leeks; (4 to


          -6)


     1 tb Lemon juice


     6 qt Water; (5 to 6)


     2 c  Water; (1 to 2)


     2 tb Salt


     1 ts Lemon zest; minced


     1 tb Chopped flat-leaf parsley


   1/4 c  Extra-virgin olive oil


          Sea salt


          Freshly ground black pepper


    16 oz Penne or other short pasta


   1/2 c  Grated Parmesan cheese






 This is a basic recipe that demonstrate the cook's desire to use as much of


 the nutritients and flavors that leech to the water when cooking vegetables


 and pasta.


 Clean the leeks: Remove roots and any tough, bruised outer leek leaves.


 Split each leek in half lengthwise and rinse carefully to eliminate all


 dirt between leaves.


 Relish: Slice some leek, a small section of the white part, into the


 thinnest possible half-rings, stop when you make 1/4 cup. Toss this measure


 with the lemon juice and set aside.


 Cook to puree: Bring the 5 to 6 quarts water to a rolling boil; add salt


 and cook remaining leeks (cut into chunks that fit in the pot) for 6 to 8


 minutes until soft, and totally tender. Remove leeks from pot with slotted


 spoon, refresh in cold water; drain and squeeze lightly to remove excess


 water. Reserve leek cooking water.


 Puree leeks in food processor with lemon zest, parsley, extra virgin olive


 oil, 1/2 cup leek cooking water, salt and pepper. Transfer sauce to 3-quart


 pot.


 Cook pasta: Add 1 to 2 cups fresh water to leek cooking water and return to


 rolling boil. Add pasta and cook until it al dente (about three-quarters of


 the recommended cooking time).


 Drain, *reserving 2 cups cooking water.*


 


 Add pasta, 1/2 cup pasta water and (lemon) marinated leek rings, drained,


 to leek puree in pot and cook over highest heat for 3 to 5 minutes until


 pasta is almost cooked and sauce coats pasta. Add more pasta water, 1/4 cup


 at a time if sauce gets too dry. Sauce should surround pasta but be


 slightly liquid.  We still have cheese to add and the cheese will thicken


 the sauce.


 Add grated Parrnesan cheese, heat for an additional minute to melt cheese,


 and serve immediately.


 1996 by Faith Willinger: Red, White, and Greens: The Italian Way with


 Vegetables (Harper-Collins). Willinger has lived in Florence, Italy for


 more than 20 years. Reprinted 3 Oc 96 in the Riverside Press-Enterprise


 (McRecipe via PATh)


 Recipe By     : Faith Willinger, Red, White and Greens


 


 Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #253


 


 Date: Sun, 20 Oct 1996 21:35:17 -0700 (PDT)


 


 From: PatH