Description
A restaurant-worthy pasta dish where leeks are charred until sweet and smoky, then folded into a creamy, tangy sauce with smoked paprika and lemon.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 3 large leeks, cleaned and sliced lengthwise
- 12 oz dried fettuccine pasta
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
1. Prepare the Crust:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place leeks cut-side down and cook without moving for 5-7 minutes until deeply charred. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes until tender. Remove and slice into bite-sized pieces.
- In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add garlic and smoked paprika, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in heavy cream and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted. Add lemon zest, juice, and charred leeks. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add drained pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat in the sauce. Add reserved pasta water as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan.
Notes
You can customize the seasonings to taste.