Melted leeks with spinach, basil and ricotta recipe
Batch cooking just got that bit better with this jammy leek filling, with a helping hand from creamy ricotta and fresh spinach and basil. So versatile, this filling can be used to top warm bruschetta, or can be combined with a tomato sauce and cannelloni to make a creamy pasta bake – see tip, below.
See method- Makes 800ml (about 8 servings)
- 15 mins to prepare and 30 mins to cook
- 117 calories / serving
- Freezable
- Gluten-free
- Vegetarian
- Healthy
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 small leeks (about 1kg), thinly sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 250g baby spinach
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 x 250g tubs ricotta
- 30g pack fresh basil, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
Each serving contains
- Energy
- 485kJ 117.0kcal
- Fat
- 7g
- Saturates
- 4g
- Salt
- 0.4g
- Sugars
- 5g
of the Reference intake
Carbohydrate 6.1gProtein 7.4gFibre 0.4g
Method
- Heat the oil in a large lidded saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the leeks and 100ml water; season. Cover and cook for 20 mins, stirring occasionally, until very soft. Stir through the garlic, cover and cook for 5 mins more.
- Add the spinach, lemon zest and juice, then season. Cover and cook for 3 mins to start wilting the spinach. Remove the lid, stir and cook for 3 mins more, stirring occasionally, until the spinach has completely wilted. Remove from the heat and stir through the ricotta, basil and nutmeg, if using.
- Tip: Combine this recipe and our butternut squash, tomato and rosemary sauce to make this honeycomb pasta.
- See more Vegetarian recipes
Freezing and defrosting guidelines
The sauce will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.
