Rachel Roddy's recipe for pasta with leeks, mushrooms, thyme and soft cheese | A kitchen in Rome

Leeks are hard to come by in Rome, so when I find some on a shelf or stall, there's even more reason to think, "Nice leek." That's how Simon Hopkinson describes them in his book The Vegetarian Option, and an alliteration so crisp and fair it's stuck and now flashes every time I see one. And, because pansies are like dominoes, pretty leeks might just remind me of the pretty Linda mug I shared an office with for about a week many years ago; and its owner, too, adorable, with soft hands (and a jar of hand cream on her desk) and an optician sister at Barnes. It's funny the things you remember.

Hopkinson also calls leeks the "gently gently" of the onion family, which is not only a good description of their flavor and nature, but also a reminder of how to cook them for soups and sauces. Gently gently, and don't forget slowly slowly. This is where Hopkinson met Anna Del Conte and her method of cooking leeks for pasta or rice. It's also great, because I feel like two favorite food writers are chatting and exchanging tips in my kitchen. But first, clean the leek, cut off the dark end and the roots, then split it lengthwise, but not completely, so that it remains intact and spreads out like a peacock's tail, allowing all the sand to be washed away. This central slit also means that the leek is then easily cut into half moons.

Del Conte's way starts with sliced ​​leek in a mixture of olive oil and of butter, then, having lowered the heat (which is important), a crumpled piece of parchment paper is pressed on it. In doing so, the steam is trapped, tightly, but without pressure, creating a very efficient, steaming ember under which the leeks - and mushrooms for that matter - become mellow and buttery in appearance and flavor. Cooked this way, and seasoned generously with salt and black pepper, leeks and mushrooms make a simple and tasty condiment for long and short, dry and fresh pasta (most forms will work). Alternatively, stir a beaten mixture of soft cheese (robiola, Philadelphia, or sweet goat cheese), grated parmesan, and pasta cooking water into the vegetables for a more succulent version.

This pasta dish is reminiscent of the value of pasta cooking water, well seasoned with salt and cloudy with starch that seeped from the pasta during boiling. Here it is used both to loosen the kind of cheese mixture and for the final mixture, when just a little (I find a full small cup of coffee or espresso to be a good measure - and a vehicle - to transport pasta water from pot to pot) helps to facilitate the consistency of the final dish. You might want a little more grated parmesan on top, a glass of wine, a second helping, a second glass of wine, bread to wipe the dish, a green salad, more cheese and then heavenly cake.

For 4 people

4 tablespoons of oil olives20g butter1 large leek, cleaned and sliced ​​250g mushrooms (field, button or chestnut), slicedSalt and black pepperA few sprigs of fresh thyme1 heaped tablespoon soft cheese (optional)1 heaped tablespoon grated parmesan (optional)450g dried long pasta (linguine, tagliatelle, penne, fusilli…)

Boil a pot of water for the pasta. Put the oil, butter and leek in a deep sauté pan and cook over medium-low heat until the leek begins to soften. Add the mushrooms, a pinch of salt and the thyme and cook, stirring for a few more minutes.

Apply a sheet of parchment paper to the vegetables, lower the heat and leave to braise/ steam for 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and crumbled. Once cooked, set aside and keep warm.

Salt the boiling water, stir, then add the pasta and cook until al dente. If adding cheese, in a small bowl, combine the soft cheese and Parmesan cheese, scoop out some of the cooking water while the pasta cooks, and stir to obtain a thick cream. Mix it with the vegetables.

When the pasta is cooked, drain it, retaining a little more water, or lift it directly into the vegetable pan, then mix, . ..