One pot, light and creamy, leek and mushroom pasta with fresh herbs, ricotta, and parmesan that's ready in just 40 minutes. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner!
2tablespoonsolive oilsubstitute butter for a richer pasta
1shallotdiced
2leekscleaned and diced (check post for details)
5ozmushroomschopped (cremini or shiitake)
2clovesgarlicminced, or substitute 2 teaspoons of minced garlic
¾cupricotta cheesesubstitute heavy cream for a creamier pasta
3cupswatersubstitute broth for a richer pasta; check recipe notes for wine addition
Seasoning
2teaspoonsoregano
1teaspoonsaltadjust to taste
1teaspoonpepperadjust to taste
¼cupparmesandivided, 2 teaspoons for garnish
1-2teaspoonfresh parsleychopped finely
Instructions
Clean and Prep Leeks
Wash the leeks thoroughly. Slice the root ends, hairs, and very leafy portion. You will be left with half the length of the leek you started with. Slice the leek vertically down the middle to make two half-cylinders. Repeat to get four semi-cylinders. Chop each piece and dump in a bowl of water immediately. Once you’re done chopping all the leeks, rinse the chopped leeks in your bowl of water, turning them over with your hands. Let them sit in the water for a few minutes and you’ll get rid of most of the dirt. Note: Check the post for step-by-step visual instructions!
Make Pasta and Sauce
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot on medium flame. Add shallots when the oil is hot and sauté for a minute, until fragrant.
Add chopped mushrooms and leeks and cook for approximately 4 to 5 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so, until the water evaporates (and you can continue cooking up to 8 minutes, for the mushrooms to brown). Stir in the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.Note: Here, you can either choose to set the vegetables aside in case you want crispier mushrooms and leeks, or you can just make the whole recipe in one pot (in which case your veggies will be softer - this is totally a preference thing!)
Add water, oregano, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. For a richer pasta, you can substitute ½ cup of water with white wine. If you use wine, add that first, and cook for 2 minutes before adding the rest of the broth.
Add pasta, and cook for about 8 minutes. Stir the pasta every 30 seconds at the beginning to ensure it's submerged in the liquid. checking frequently to make sure it stays al dente (refer to package instructions to ensure pasta cooks to your desire). Note: Alternatively, you can also cook the pasta and the vegetables separately and mix them together later, depending on your preferred consistency of vegetables.
Once the pasta is ready, turn off the heat, add ricotta and mix well together. Then add parmesan and give that a good stir. Finally, garnish with a bit more freshly grated parmesan and fresh parsley and serve hot!
Notes
I prefer using a cast iron braiser or a Dutch oven to cook this dish to avoid sticking at the bottom. If you use a traditional pot, just make sure to scrape the bottom for the first couple of minutes to avoid stuff getting stuck!
Ideally, you want 3 cups of liquid for ~12 oz of pasta. This liquid can be any combination of water, broth or white wine. If you use white wine, make sure to add that first and cook off the alcohol before adding broth.
This is a super versatile dish - you can add peas, broccoli, asparagus, scallions and any other green vegetables of your choice. Or scallions.
I use ricotta to keep the dish creamy but light - for a more decadent pasta, you can substitute olive oil with butter and ricotta with heavy cream!