Crispy leek, mascarpone & pecorino pasta

I’m pretty besotted with this and although the mound of creamy carbs may have beguiled me, I do genuinely think this may very well be the best vegetarian pasta dish I’ve ever made! The sauce is creamy with the mascarpone, pecorino and pasta water and has deliciously savoury notes with both the soft and crispy leeks.

Ingredients (serves 2):

• 2 servings of spaghetti (around half a standard dried packet)

• 60g mascarpone

• 30g grated pecorino

• 2 finely sliced garlic cloves

• 1 leek

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• knob of butter

• 120g tenderstem broccoli

• 1/2 lemon

• 1 egg

Method:

1. Finely slice half of the leek into rings and cook in a frying pan with a touch of olive oil until soft and sticky. Remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl.

2. Add the spaghetti to salted boiling water in a saucepan and leave to cook as per instructions.

3. Add the 1/4 cup olive oil to the frying pan and heat. Slice the remaining 1/2 leek into fine strips lengthways and test the oil by adding one piece of the leek to the oil. If it begins to crackle, it’s ready. Add the leeks and cook until crispy. Once crispy, remove and leave to sit on paper towel on a plate to drain.

4. Remove any excess oil from the frying pan and add the butter with the sliced tenderstem broccoli. Once softened slightly, add the garlic. Stir fry for a couple of minutes and add in the pasta with around 1 cup of the pasta water.

5. Add in the softened leeks.

6. Add the mascarpone and pecorino and stir until the sauce is smooth.

7. Remove from the heat and add in the eff and stir vigorously until smooth.

8. Add the lemon juice and serve. Top with the crispy leeks and enjoy!