This is one of those speedy suppers that doesn’t require very much effort. The result is a really comforting dish of sweet leeks, meaty bacon, pasta and a creamy cheese sauce.
Serve with a fresh green salad for a great midweek treat.
Ingredients
2 medium leeks
4 rashers unsmoked bacon
300g pasta shapes
1 x 15ml spoon vegetable oil OR small amount of spray oil
1 thick slice wholemeal bread
200g reduced-fat soft cream cheese
1 x 5ml spoon Dijon mustard
Ground black pepper (optional)
Equipment
Weighing scales
2 x Chopping board
2 x Sharp knife
Colander
Kettle
Large saucepan
Frying pan
Measuring spoons
Spatula
2 x Pan stand
Blender
Measuring jug
Wooden spoon
Shallow ovenproof serving dish (approx. 1½ litres)
Oven gloves
Pan stand
Instructions
- Top and tail the leeks and discard the outer layer. Rinse under running water and then chop finely into rings ½cm wide.
- Using a separate chopping board and knife, remove all visible fat from the bacon and chop roughly into 2cm squares (wash your hands after handling raw meat).
- Place the pasta in a large saucepan. Cover the pasta with boiling water and cook, according to the packet instructions, until al denté (still has a little bite).
- Heat the vegetable oil in the frying pan over a medium heat, add the bacon and cook for 4 minutes until crispy. Add the leeks and gently cook for 5–10 minutes until soft.
- Meanwhile, break the bread into pieces, put into the blender and make the breadcrumbs. Preheat the grill to a medium heat.
- Drain the pasta, retaining 150ml of the cooking water.
- Return the pasta to the saucepan and stir in the leeks, bacon, cream cheese, mustard and reserved cooking water.
- Season with black pepper to taste (if using), and transfer the mixture to the ovenproof dish.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the pasta and then place the dish under the grill for 3 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are crisp and golden.
Skills used include:
Weighing, measuring, chopping, mixing/combining, blending, boiling/simmering, frying and grilling.
Top Tips
- Be careful not to burn the breadcrumb topping. Reduce the heat under the grill to low if necessary.
Something to try next time
- Add 40g of frozen peas to the frying pan at step 4.
- To save time try cooking the leeks in with the pasta water and chopping cooked ham into the pasta mixture, instead of bacon.
Prepare now, eat later
- To prepare in advance, add another 100ml of the reserved cooking water at step 7 as the pasta will absorb more liquid when reheated. Cool at step 9 before grilling, cover and chill in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Then bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/160°C fan or gas mark 4 for 25–30 minutes or until hot and bubbling.
Get more from your food
- Adding breadcrumbs to recipes is a great way to use up old bread. Keep a cloth or paper bag for the ends of artisan style loaves, when dry, grate to produce breadcrumbs and keep in a ziplock bag in the freezer or an airtight jar in the store cupboard. In addition to crumble toppings, breadcrumbs can be added to sauces to thicken them and as a coating with beaten egg.
