Bacon, Leeks and Pasta

Monday, August 9, 2010

Yuuuuuummy.

Whenever I buy an ingredient that I'm not QUITE sure how to use... I always go to Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman's) cooking blog. I LOVE her recipes. I desperately want the time and energy to make her cinnamon rolls.

Anyway. I digress.

So, I bought Leeks yesterday at the store, got home and went... "Mmmmhmm...so... how do I fix these?" So I went to her site and found THIS recipe.

Great! Except I didn't have pancetta. Or cream. Or white wine.

NO MATTER! I created my own recipe!

You will need:
1-2 Leeks
Bacon
Buter (honestly, can I make anything without it?)
Garlic
Parmesan Cheese
Pasta (I used fettuccine)
Reserved Pasta water

Cut the bacon up into little pieces, and begin frying it. No oil needed. Begin chopping the leeks. Use the white to light green parts, and I just sliced it up, then separated the rounds. Chop 1 clove (or more if you want it), of garlic.

Add garlic and leeks to the pan once the bacon is browned slightly. Begin cooking your pasta. Add salt and pepper to the leek mixture (easy on the salt....bacon + parmesan cheese means you won't need a lot). Continue cooking leeks and bacon on low until the pasta is done (and the leeks are softened). Add pasta, 1-2 handfuls of shredded parmesan cheese, about 3 tablespoons of butter. Mix well. Add a little bit of the pasta water to thin out the sauce if needed.

Top with Parmesan cheese shavings (which you make with a veggie peeler and a block of Parm).

ENJOY.