The Greenest Leek and Spinach Cavatelli

Inspired by Daniel Boulud’s Paupiette of Sea Bass

What you need:

6 leeks, 4 sliced in half and rinsed (discarding the top leafy green and tough outer layer), and two cut into 1/4 inch dice

3 fistfuls of spinach, washed

~2 tbsp butter

pinch of granulated sugar

1/2 cup freshly grated parm cheese + more for topping

salt and freshly ground white pepper

1 Ib cavatelli

What you do:

boil a pot of very salty water (should taste like the sea!) Add your spinach and blanch for 20 secs, then transfer to an ice bath. Add your leeks and blanch for 2-3 mins until tender. Transfer to the same ice bath as the spinach. Remove spinach and leeks from ice bath and add to a blender along with your cheese. Blend until you achieve a thick yet pourable consistency (add in more water from the ice bath as needed). Taste and season with salt and pepper or more parm as you see fit.

add butter to a sauce pan and melt over medium heat, then add your diced leeks with a pinch of salt and sugar.  Saute until softened, making sure not to brown or caramelize (8- 10 mins). Add spinach and leek sauce and stir to combine. Heat over medium-low to warm back up the sauce. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.

I suggest serving with cavatelli but really any pasta shape will do! Cook pasta in salty water then transfer directly into your sauce using a slotted spoon or tongs if using a longer noodle. The salty pasta water is your friend, just make sure to balance with the saltiness level of your sauce!