I love to cook. For me, cooking is a passion, and not a hobby. But when you’ve had a long day at work and you finish your work assignments late, cooking does tend to feel like a chore especially if you have to entertain impromptu guests for dinner.
When this happens, I always go to my go-to dish – pasta. Cooking and preparing pasta is one of the easiest ways to prepare a yummy dish. You can make it as simple or as complex as you want and yet it still only takes less than an hour to cook. It’s also quite filling so if you really want to stuff yourself you won’t have to spend too much to do so. And, finally, who doesn’t really like pasta? The only people I know who hates it are people who think carbs are the enemy and people who are allergic to gluten. Other than them, pasta is universally loved – most especially the kiddies.
If you’re looking for an extremely easy pasta recipe that is easy to cook and yet offers an interesting flavor combination, then you should definitely try Gordon Ramsay’s Mushroom and Leek Pasta. This dish is so easy to prepare and the combination of mushrooms, pancetta and cooked leeks is a great combo.
An important tip when cooking this dish – make sure that you properly cook the leeks. This means cooking it until it reaches a consistency where the leek would feel like it melts in your mouth when you taste it.
Ingredients
300g pasta shells (conchiglie)
sea salt and black pepper
3-4 tbsp olive oil
125g pancetta, sliced
2 medium leeks, trimmed and finely sliced
250g chestnut mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
2-3 tbsp crème fraîche
Bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped
Parmesan shavings to serve
How to make pasta with pancetta, leek & mushrooms
1. Add the pasta shells to a pot of boiling salted water and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until al dente
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the pancetta. Fry for a few minutes until it is golden brown, then add the leeks, mushrooms and a little salt and pepper. Stir over high heat for 6-8 minutes until the leeks are tender
3. Drain the pasta and immediately toss with the pancetta, leeks and mushrooms. Stir in the crème fraîche and season with salt and pepper to taste. Scatter over the chopped parsley to serve
Recipe from: http://www.channel4.com
