With the last of the baby Brussels sprouts on the shelves at the market, I decided to make a lovely early Spring pasta with lots of fresh flavors and lots of green produce. I began by sautéing quartered baby Brussels sprouts, sliced leeks and garlic in a touch of olive oil and butter. Then I added in the fresh flavors of lemon zest, lemon juice and fresh thyme, followed by a bit of crisp white wine. Once the vegetables are tender and seasoned, I like to crumble in some salty, crispy pancetta and then finish the dish off with al dente pasta and a (big) grinding of salty Pecorino cheese. I used rigatoni for this pasta dish, but a nice fusilli or penne would also work very well.
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Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Pancetta & Leeks
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. pasta (rigatoni, penne or fusilli)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 4 oz. baby Brussels sprouts, quartered
- 2 leeks, white parts only, thinly sliced and washed to remove any grit
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 2 lemons
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 oz. pancetta, cooked an crumbled
- Pecorino cheese, for serving
Directions:
- Cook the pasta according to the pasta directions; until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large, straight-sided sauté pan or Dutch oven, melt the butter into the oil over medium heat. Add in the garlic, Brussels sprouts and leeks; season with a pinch of salt and pepper and sauté for 5-7 minutes. Add in the fresh thyme and lemon zest; cook for 1 more minute.
- Next, add in the fresh lemon juice and white wine; reduce the heat to low and cook until the veggies are tender. Adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Toss the warm mixture into the al dente pasta– serve with a sprinkling of the pancetta and a big grating of Pecorino cheese.
Tagged: brussels sprouts, fresh thyme, leeks, lemon, lemon zest, pancetta, pasta, pecorino cheese, penne, rigatoni, white wine
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