Creamy celeriac gigli, caramelised leeks, and marmite pangrattato

Recipe & photography by Phoebe Altman.

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

3 slices of stale bread, crusts removed (or about 50g fresh breadcrumbs)

1 tbsp marmite 

2 leeks, finely sliced and well rinsed 

A couple of sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped from their stalks 

A knob of butter (about 15g)

2 cloves garlic 

1 large celeriac 

100ml double cream 

450g Northern Pasta Co Gigli 

Olive oil 

Sea salt 

Method:

1. To make the marmite pangrattato, blitz your bread into breadcrumbs using a food processor. In a wide frying pan, gently heat 3 tbsp of olive oil with the marmite and whisk until loosened and combined. Tip the breadcrumbs into the pan and stir to evenly coat. Continue to fry for around 5 minutes, stirring frequently so that they don’t catch. Once golden brown and beginning to crunch up, set aside onto a plate lined with some kitchen roll. 
2. In the same pan, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil with a knob of butter, add the leeks, thyme leaves, and a good pinch of salt. Cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally until the leeks are lovely and jammy - you don’t want them to take on much colour!
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil with the garlic cloves in (leave them whole). Peel the celeriac, and cut into rough 1-2cm cubes.
4. Once the water is boiling, add the cubed celeriac and cook for around 5 minutes or until tender. Remove the celeriac with a slotted spoon straight into a blender with the garlic cloves, double cream, a splash of the cooking water and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blitz until smooth and creamy, give it a taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary, then transfer to a pan over a low heat. 
5. Add the Gigli to the celeriac cooking water (you may need to top it up with more water and salt, and bring it back to the boil), and cook for 4 minutes, so that it retains a slight bite. 
6. Once cooked, drain the pasta but keep the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the pan with the celeriac purée along with a ladleful of its cooking water and a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil. Toss together until nice and emulsified, the sauce should be glossy and coating the pasta. 
7. Serve topped with the caramelised leeks and marmite pangrattato, a grating of Parmesan and a final drizzle of that nice olive oil also wouldn’t go amiss!