CHEESY LEEK, SILVERBEET & BACON PASTA

Kinda like mac ‘n’ cheese but with the addition of tender slow cooked leeks, silverbeet and crispy bacon. The cheese sauce is silky and thin which is how I like it, but you can add less milk if you like a thicker sauce. Finished with crunchy parsley breadcrumbs and extra cheese.

Serves 3-4.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 rashers of streaky bacon, sliced
1 leek, trimmed, washed and sliced into crescents
4-5 silverbeet leaves, washed and chopped, leaf and stem separated
5 cloves garlic, sliced
250 grams dried pasta shells 
Sea salt

White Sauce
40 grams butter
2 heaped tablespoons plain flour
650ml milk 
½ cup grated cheddar cheese, plus extra for on top
½ cup grated edam cheese
¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese plus extra for on top
Cracked pepper

Parsley Breadcrumbs
1 cup breadcrumbs, panko or fine
4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt

METHOD

Heat the oven to 180ºC regular bake. 

Heat the oil in a sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the bacon and fry until golden and crispy. Reduce the heat and add the leeks and silverbeet stems and slowly cook for 8-10 minutes until tender. Add the chopped silverbeet leaves and garlic and fry briefly until the leaves have softened. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente (still has a little bite to it).

In the same pan, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir until well incorporated, fry briefly to allow the flour to cook, then add in ⅓ of the milk. Whisk continuously until smooth, then add the remaining milk and whisk again. Cook on a low heat for 5-8 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Season generously with cracked pepper but add only a little salt, the bacon will enhance this. 

If you’re using an oven-proof sauté pan, add the bacon and sauteed vegetables to the sauce, then add the pasta. Alternatively, transfer to an oven-proof dish, then top with a little extra cheese. 

In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, parsley, olive oil and a little sea salt. Sprinkle over the pasta dish and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden and the sauce is bubbling.