Mushroom and Leek Orecchiette
With school back in session and all of the busy fall events, it’s nice to take a break and treat yourself and a loved one. Date night at home has never been easier than with this Italian classic reimagined Mushroom and Leek Orecchiette, those little cups of pasta are practically designed to scoop up every bit of sauce.
Pasta is not only sets a mood, it’s perfect for a quick and easy meal, such as Sheet Pan Tortellini alla Norma. This quick cooking mushroom and leek orecchiette dish comes together in less time than it’ll take you to decide what type of wine to serve with it. I love building dishes like this around local ingredients when I can fresh leeks and mushrooms from the market make all the difference in taste.
Ingredients
All good things start with bacon, including this Mushroom and Leek Orecchiette. With just a few simple ingredients you probably already have, this pasta recipe is sure to become a new favorite.
- Orecchiette – This pasta literally translates to “little ears.” The cupped shape is perfect for scooping sauce and trapping ingredients like bacon and leeks, and it’s a common shape in southern Italy.
- Bacon – Adds smoky, savory, salty flavor to the white wine cream sauce; the rendered fat is also used to sauté the mushrooms, garlic, and leeks.
- Leeks – These delicately flavored onions sweeten as they cook.
- Mushrooms – Add earthiness and umami. Baby bella or cremini work well, though a mix with wild mushroom varieties like chanterelle or maitake adds even more depth once they’re browned mushrooms in the pan.
- Garlic Cloves – Sharp, pungent, savory depth.
- Butter – A couple of tablespoons adds richness and helps cook the mushrooms; a drizzle of olive oil works too if you want a lighter touch.
- White Wine – Pick one you enjoy the taste of, since the flavor concentrates as it cooks.
- Heavy Cream – Emulsifies into a silky sauce.
- Parmesan – Salty and nutty.
- Chili Flakes – Just a couple of teaspoons wakes up the whole dish with a back note of heat.
How to Make Mushroom and Leek Orecchiette
This dish comes together about as quickly as it’ll take you to boil your pasta. While the water is boiling you can already have the sauce going for your mushroom and leek orecchiette.
Pop open a bottle of white and put on some Sinatra. Date night gets a makeover with this easy and elegant pasta dish.
- Boil
Bring a large sauce pan of salted water to a boil. Cook the orecchiette according to package instructions for al dente, then drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water, this starchy liquid will help bring this dish together later.
- Bacon
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon until crispy, then remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and rest it on a paper towel to drain any excess moisture.
- Sauté
Add the leeks, mushrooms, and garlic to the same pan and sauté 3-5 minutes over medium-high heat. Stir in the butter and continue cooking until the mushrooms are golden and browned.The base of any good mushroom and leek orecchiette starts here.
- Deglaze
Pour the white wine, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits, and let it reduce slightly.
- Saucy
Add the cream, pasta, and bacon. Grate in the parmesan and stir in the reserved liquid until the sauce turns silky. Toss everything together gently so the pasta is evenly coated this is where the dish really comes together.
- Serve
Divide this mushroom pasta among large bowls, or plate individually in a single bowl, and finish with chili flakes and a final drizzle of freshly shaved parmesan.
Substitutions
While bacon adds a smoky note to this pasta dish, you can substitute the bacon with pancetta or guanciale. For a similar smoky note, you can also use speck. If you don’t have leeks on hand, a finely sliced shallot makes a good stand-in, and a splash of chicken stock can replace some or all of the pasta water for an even richer sauce small swaps, but they still keep this mushroom and leek orecchiette feeling like itself.
Variations
This recipe can be made completely Gluten Free. Substitute the orecchiette in this pasta recipe for a similar shaped Gluten Free variety. For a brighter finish, stir in a little lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving, or add a sprinkle of fresh thyme along with the mushrooms for an earthy, herbal note.
Top Tip for Mushroom and Leek Orecchiette
Always make sure you season your pasta water. Not only is it the only chance you get to season the pasta itself, but in recipes such as this mushroom and leek orecchiette that call for pasta water as an ingredient, it will add flavor. Once your water is boiling add your salt. Wait for the salt to dissolve and then add your pasta. If you add the salt at the beginning, you risk the salinity concentrating too much.
Mushroom and Leek Orecchiette
Equipment
- 1 stockpot
- 1 large skillet
- 1 colander
Ingredients
- 6 oz orecchiette pasta
- 4-6 strips bacon, sliced
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp butter
- splash of white wine
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 1 cup pasta water
- pinch of chili flakes
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Season with salt. Cook your pasta according to the package directions for al dente.
- Drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy and the fat is rendered.
- Remove the bacon from the pan.
- Add the mushrooms, leek, and garlic. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add the butter and continue to cook the mushrooms until they are lightly golden, and the leeks are tender.
- Add the wine, making sure to scrape up the dark bits on the pan. Let slightly reduce.
- Add the cream and stir to combine.
- Add the pasta and the bacon into the pan. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Add the pasta water and continue to stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy.
- Garnish with a pinch of red pepper flakes and freshly shaved parmesan.
- Buon appettito!
