Leek Pasty Pastai Cennin Recipes

WELSH LEEK & BACON PASTY (PASTAI CENNIN)

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 180°C (350 F).
• Turn short crust pastry dough onto a lightly-floured work surface and cut in half. Roll the two halves out until they are the same size as dinner plates.
• Lay one round of dough on a lightly-greased baking sheet then scatter the leeks over the top (leave the edges of the pasty clear, however).
• Lay the bacon on top of the leeks then season with salt and black pepper before dotting the butter on top.
• Spread parsley, sage and egg over bacon and leek, leaving edges of pasty clear.
• Lightly brush around edge with egg/milk glaze.
• Lay the second piece of pastry on top then crimp down the edges with the tines of a fork to seal.
• Brush glaze over top crust.
• Prick the top of the pasty with the fork to make steam holes.
• Transfer to an oven and bake for about 40 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the contents are cooked.

LINGUINE WITH CHICKEN, LEEKS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and sauté until just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Cool slightly. Thinly slice chicken crosswise and set aside.
• Melt butter in same skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks and garlic and sauté until leeks are very tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, vermouth and chicken. Cook until mixture is just heated through, about 2 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Combine chicken mixture, linguine and 1/2 cup Parmesan in large bowl; toss well. Sprinkle with basil if desired. Serve, passing remaining Parmesan.

VEGAN CREAMY LEEK PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high.
• Meanwhile, prepare your leeks: Trim 1/2 inch off both ends, then cut each leek crosswise, separating the bottom third of the white portion from the top two-thirds of light and dark leek greens. Halve the greens lengthwise, wash them, then set them aside.
• Halve your leek whites lengthwise, cut them crosswise into 2-inch segments, then slice those segments thinly lengthwise to create matchsticks. (If you notice any grit in the sliced leek whites, wash them thoroughly, transfer them to a dish towel, squeezing to remove excess moisture, then spread them out to dry.)
• In a small, deep saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high and line a baking sheet with paper towels. Working in three to four batches for even cooking, add about 1/4 of the white leek strips and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 4 minutes. The key here is to keep residual cooking in mind: Since your delicate leeks will continue cooking after being removed from the hot oil, you want to pull them from the hot oil when about a third of each batch is fully golden, a third is lightly golden and another third is still green. (They won't cook perfectly evenly; it's not you, it's them and the nature of cooking.) Remove them swiftly, using a slotted spoon and tilting the saucepan to transfer the leeks to the paper towel-lined plate. Season to taste with salt. Repeat with the remaining batches. Set the oil aside to cool.
• Add the pasta and leek greens to the boiling water, reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is just shy of al dente, about 8 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water. Using tongs, transfer the leek greens to a blender, then pour the pasta into a colander set in the sink.
• Add the reserved leek oil to the leek greens, along with 2/3 cup pasta water and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper, and blend until creamy. Add the sauce to the pot and stir in the pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add more pasta water, if desired, to thin the sauce. Divide among plates and sprinkle with frizzled leeks. Grate fresh lemon zest on top, if desired, then squeeze with lemon. Serve immediately.

CHEESY LEEK & BACON PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the leeks and 2 tbsp water, and cook for about 10 mins until very soft. Add the bacon, turn up the heat and fry until cooked.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions. Drain and reserve a mug of the cooking water.
• Spoon cheese into the leek and bacon mix, adding some of the reserved cooking water. Season and stir gently over a low heat until melted. Toss through the cooked pasta, adding a little more cooking water, if needed, to help the sauce coat the pasta.

EASY PASTA BAKE WITH LEEK AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.
• Bring a second large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook leek for 2 minutes while penne is cooking. Drain well.
• Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Grease a baking dish with some butter.
• Heat cream and butter in a saucepan over low heat until hot. Whisk in Emmentaler cheese until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Mix cooked penne and leek and add to the prepared baking dish. Pour cheese sauce on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

PASTA WITH LEEKS AND PARSLEY

Steps:

• Trim root end of leeks, then cut off hard green leaves, leaving a bit of green where they meet the white part. Split leeks down the middle, then chop them, not too finely. Wash very well, and spin or shake dry. Set a large pot of water to boil, and salt it.
• Put half the butter or oil in a large skillet, and turn heat to medium-high. A minute later add garlic and chilies, and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic browns; remove chilies (and garlic if you prefer). Add leeks, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they wilt, about 10 minutes. Add pepper or tomato, and lower heat; continue to cook, stirring once in a while, until leeks begin to brown.
• Cook pasta until tender but not mushy. When it's done, drain it, reserving about 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Toss pasta and leeks together with remaining butter or oil, a few sprinklings of black pepper and all but a little of the parsley, adding a bit of cooking liquid if mixture seems dry. Taste and adjust seasoning, garnish with remaining parsley, and serve.

SPAGHETTI WITH LEEKS, PEAS & PESTO

Steps:

• Cook the spaghetti according to pack instructions, adding the peas for the final 2 mins. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan, add the leeks, then gently cook for about 5 mins until softened. Stir in the pesto and 3 tbsp of the pasta cooking water, then simmer for a few mins.
• Drain the pasta and peas, then add to the frying pan, tossing everything together. Divide between 2 warm bowls and sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan, if using.