If springtime has come early to your kitchen and you’re after a more vibrant and vegetarian long pasta dish, quick roasted cherry tomato and basil fettucine is plump, juicy and radiates sunshine. So, why nostalgic? Well, that is nostalgia according to my teenage daughter. This dish reminded her of “simple dinners from childhood”. I can see where she’s coming from. I probably did serve a lot of spaghetti when the kids were little, and usually it did conceal some kind of green vegetable and smaller-than-bite-sized pieces of meat!
Leek recipes
Long, pale and elegant. Visually, leeks are a stunning vegetable. A close cousin of onion and garlic, you can expect the same nose-tingling scent in their raw form, but a milder and sweeter aroma when cooked. Besides their usefulness when out of onions, they are supportive in bringing sweet undertones to soup bases and stews, as my chicken vegetable soup and hearty turkey stew both demonstrate. They also play a leading role in comforting and wintry recipes, for example chicken and leek pie, or baked cod with mustard sauce. Or even as a delightfully soft, almost syrupy side when grilled, sautéed or roasted.
How to prepare leeks
Leeks can be grubby little beggars! They need a good wash before cooking as the many layers of skins, much wider than onion skin, can trap dirt and grit. My approach is this: If you can’t bear wasting the darker discarded leaves, you can keep them for stock. I tend not to use them as they absorb flavour, but it’s an option for the waste-averse!
Serving suggestions
A combination of starchy carbs, green vegetables and a little protein makes this creamy leek, pancetta and linguine recipe a meal in itself. But for salad fans like me, I would serve either a warm zucchini salad or a more substantial panzanella. Almost every pasta dish must come with bread, garlic bread preferred, when my son is home. I try to make sure I have either some focaccia or a pre-prepared air fryer garlic bread in reserve if I’m expecting him.
Storage and leftovers
Pasta, and long pasta in particular, is something I seldom keep if left over. While you can refrigerate and revive it, it is always disappointing the second time around. However, this leek and pancetta pasta will last up to 3 days in the fridge if you have over-estimated. Reheat on the hob with a splash of water if the linguine looks a bit sticky.
More creamy pasta recipes
Pasta cream sauce Easy carbonara Prosciutto wrapped chicken alfredo Truffle mac and cheese
