This leek top pasta sauce is a simple way to use up those unwanted greens.
There's no need to thrown away the dark green part of leeks with this super simple pasta sauce recipe.
Ingredients: (serves 2)
Leek top pesto:
200g leek tops
1/2 lemon
20g walnuts
30g parmesan
20g EVOO
S & P
Method: (see video below)
Cook the leek tops for 15 minutes in salted boiling water.
Blitz the other ingredients in a food processor until they form a paste.
Chop the drained leek tops with a knife as finely as possible.
Mix the leeks into the pesto.
Cook pasta then keep a jug of the cooking water and combined the drained pasta and the sauce with as much water as necessary to get a saucy consistency that coats all the pasta nicely.
Bon appétit!
Video:
More about this recipe:
Leek tops are often thrown away but they are so full of nutrients and flavour it doesn't feel right.
The main problem with leek tops if that they're very fibrous which makes them difficult and unpleasant to eat. Here, I've avoided that by cooking them for a long time then chopping them with a knife into very small pieces, mixed with the pesto and pasta water they turn into a delicious silky savoury sauce.
It's not the most traditional pesto as it doesn't have the same fresh hit but it is its own delicious thing.
This leek pasta recipe is very easy , you can also make the sauce and store it in the fridge/freezer to have on hand for a quick and tasty meal.
Leeks are a great source of folate, fibre and Vitamins C.
It's a great ingredient to use for a moment of restoration and happiness:
Folate - not having enough folate increases the chance of feeling depressed.
Vitamin C - is involved in converting dopamine to noradrenaline - low amounts of noradrenaline are associated with depression.
Allium sulphur compound - highest in garlic, they have been shown to reduce incidence of cardiovascular diseases.
Flavanoids - shown to reduce risk of some chronic diseases and cancers.
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