Fresh garlic and thyme infuse this creamy pasta with bold, herbaceous flavor.
Creamed Leek Ziti
Makes about 6 servings
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 4 cups chopped leek (about 2 large leeks)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 (16-ounce) box ziti pasta, cooked according to package directions
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Garnish: chopped fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add leek, garlic, and thyme; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until leek is tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in flour; cook for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk; bring to simmer. Stir in 1½ cups cheese until melted. Stir in cooked pasta, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheese.
- Bake until sauce is bubbly and cheese is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with thyme, if desired.
Find more spring dishes like this one in our March/April 2018 issue.
[…] like to thank Southern Cast Iron for this recipe. This is just another in a long list of recipes I’ve prepared from this resource and […]