Pasta with leeks and broccoli rabe

Tweet

Pin It

Another recipe from my new cookbook, Food52 Vegan, 60 Vegetable-Driven Recipes for Any Kitchen, by Gena Hamshaw.  Tasty, and this one's really easy!  I doubled this recipe for a family of 5.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 1 tblsp olive oil
• 2 large shallots
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped (I used 2 tblsp jar garlic)
• 8 oz. silken tofu
• 3 tblsp nutritional yeast (I forgot this and it turned out OK anyway)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup water, or as needed
• pepper

For the pasta and vegetables:

• 8 oz. orecchiette
• 2 tblsp olive oil
• 2 large leeks, chopped and rinsed
• 2 bunches of broccoli rabe, stemmed and chopped (I had to use frozen, because fresh wasn't available)
• 1 clove garlic, chopped (again, I'm lazy.  I used 1 tblsp jar garlic)
• 1 tblsp lemon juice
• 2 tblps chopped chives

Instructions

1. To make the sauce -- heat the olive oil and add shallots.  Cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for another couple of minutes.  Pour this mixture into a food processor or blender and add tofu, yeast, salt, nutmeg, and lemon juice and blend until smooth.  Add water if it's too thick.  Season with pepper.
2. Cook pasta until al dente.  
3. In a skillet, saute the leeks in the oil until lightly golden.  Add broccoli rabe and saute until tender.  Add garlic and lemon juice and saute for another couple of minutes.  
4. Toss the pasta with the leek mixture and the sauce.  Enjoy!