Creamy Leek & Wild Garlic Pesto Pasta Bake

This comforting Creamy Leek & Wild Garlic Pesto Pasta Bake brings together the best flavours of early spring. Fragrant wild garlic and rich Ivy’s Reserve Vintage Cheddar for depth and nuttiness.

‍

For the wild garlic pesto

• 75g wild garlic, washed well and spun dry
• 50g curly kale, rinsed
• 75g blanched hazelnuts, toasted
• 75g Ivy’s Reserve Vintage cheddar, grated
• 100ml extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of a lemon

‍

For the rest of the pasta bake

• 25g Ivy’s Reserve salted butter
• 2 leeks, sliced into 1cm rounds
• 400g rugged pasta shape, such as radiatori or fusilli
• 100g cream cheese
• 100g Ivy’s Reserve Vintage Cheddar, grated
• 1 heaped tbsp little capers in brine, drained
• 3 tbsps breadcrumbs
• Salt & pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Start by making the pesto. Add all of the ingredients for the pesto, except the oil, to a food processor and pulse to roughly chop everything well. In three stages, add the oil, pulsing between additions. Scrape down the sides, and continue pulsing until you have a pesto – like consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, lemon juice or pepper if you like.
3. Next, cook the leeks. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and tip in the leeks. Scatter over a pinch of salt and cook over a medium heat until the leeks are tender and buttery, about 6-8 minutes. Set aside.
4. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than packet instructions(you’ll be cooking it again in the oven). Drain and return to the pan you cooked the pasta in. Add all but 2 tbsps of the pesto to the pasta while it’s still hot and stir to coat every piece. Stir through the cooked leeks, cream cheese, cheddar and capers.
5. Lightly grease a 20 x 30cm deep baking dish. Tip in the pasta mixture and scatter over the breadcrumbs. Dot over the remaining the pesto and transfer to the oven to bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until the mixture is bubbling and golden and crisp on top.
6. Serve the pasta while it’s still warm, although leftovers are delicious at room temperature.

‍