A deliciously flavorful first course today with rigatoni with leeks and speck, but also delicious with other short pasta like trofie, sedanini, etc.
The leeks are relatives of garlic and onion and have been known for millennia, as the Egyptians and Romans mention them.
They have a gentler taste and are excellent in soups but also thinly sliced, lightly floured, and fried in hot oil!!
On the blog, you can also find other recipes with leeks such as:
LEEKS CREAM
QUICHE WITH SPECK AND LEEKS
RIGATONI WITH LEEKS AND SPECK
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 3 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients for RIGATONI WITH LEEKS AND SPECK
- 11 oz rigatoni
- 3 oz leeks (white part only)
- 2 oz speck (cut into strips)
- 2 medium eggs (3 if small)
- 3 tbsps Parmigiano Reggiano (grated)
- as needed extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsps milk
- as needed salt and pepper
TO PREPARE THE RECIPE FOR RIGATONI WITH LEEKS AND SPECK
Wash and clean the leek by removing the roots, the first outer layer, and the green part, saving the white part of the vegetable.
The leek is a vegetable related to onion but with a gentler flavor that can be used to make sauté bases for creamy soups, but are also delicious when sliced very thin, lightly floured, and fried!
Thinly slice the leek and sauté it in a little extra virgin olive oil.
Once golden, season with salt and pepper, then blend everything with the milk.
When the mixture is cold, add the lightly beaten eggs and the grated cheese.
In a separate small pan, sauté the speck strips in a little extra virgin olive oil, leaving them tender!
Once you’ve prepared the creamy leek, speck, and beaten egg sauce, cook the pasta in abundant salted water.
Remember, to perfectly cook pasta, the ratio of salt, water, and pasta is important.
It is recommended to add about 10 grams of salt per 100 grams of dry pasta for 1 liter of water, but for the right saltiness, the type of salt, the type of pasta, and how savory the pasta sauce will be is important, and do not underestimate how sensitive our palate is to tastes and aromas!
Drain the pasta al dente and pour it into the leek, egg, milk, and cheese sauce, also adding the sautéed speck and mixing everything to bind and wrap the pasta.
Serve at the table and enjoy your meal with rigatoni with leeks and speck!
Annalisa
