Recently I was craving a big bowl of my creamy pumpkin and brown butter pasta. While I don’t believe pumpkin should be limited to fall and the holidays only, I am also starting to want some warmer weather and all the produce it brings. I decided I needed to come up with spring version of one my favorite pasta recipes, and this was the result.
Creamy but vibrant and full of greens, this pasta is every bit as good as it’s cold weather counterpart. For this recipe, you will first roast leeks with some lemons, which softens both strong flavors and adds a bit of caramelization that melds the two together. The leeks are then pureed with spinach, basil, and pistachios into a beautiful green puree, which will form the base of your sauce. Cook some pasta and add some cream and cheese, and you have yourself a spring comfort meal.
- 3 medium leeks, white and light green parts only
- 3 small Meyer lemons (or 2 small regular lemons), quartered
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups loosely packed spinach
- ⅓ cup loosely packed fresh basil
- ⅓ cup shelled pistachios
- ½ cup water (approximately)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound pasta
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1.5 cups cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for topping if desired)
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Slice leeks in half lengthwise, and gently run halves under cold water (holding to keep layers intact) to clean. Pat dry. Arrange on a small baking sheet, along with lemon quarters. Drizzle with olive oil and bake in preheated oven for about 15-18 minutes, until leeks are soft and brown in spots. Remove from oven and allow to cool until able to handle.
- In a food processor or high powered blender, add leeks and any accumulated liquid on the pan. Squeeze juice from roasted lemons into food processor. Add spinach, basil, pistachios, and about ¼ cup water. Blend until smooth, adding more water, a tablespoon or so at a time, as needed to get a smooth but still thick puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. When pasta is al dente, remove about ½ cup of pasta water and reserve, then drain pasta.
- Meanwhile, while your pasta is boiling, work on the sauce. In a large sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter. Once melted, add leek and spinach puree from above, stirring until well combined. Cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened slightly. Add heavy whipping cream. Bring to a low simmer, and simmer until thickened slightly, about 3-4 minutes. Add in parmesan, stirring until melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep on a very low temperature to keep warm until pasta is done, if it isn't already.
- Once pasta is done, add pasta to the sauce, along with a little bit of pasta water (start with just a few tablespoons, you may not need much) to help thin slightly and to help sauce coat the pasta. Stir until pasta is coated well in the sauce. Top with additional parmesan, if desired, and serve.
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