Leeks Aren’t Just for Soup: 5 Italian Recipes for Fall

Say leeks and many Americans think of potato leek soup. Italian cooks see a different vegetable: mild, sweet, and so tender after a slow cook that it almost melts into whatever it’s cooked with. These five recipes show what happens when leeks meet rice, pasta, pastry, eggs, and chickpea flour.

Leek and Sausage Risotto browns crumbled sausage in butter first, then adds sliced leeks, toasts the rice, and deglazes with white wine. Broth goes in one ladle at a time for 15 to 18 minutes, and the risotto is creamed off the heat with mascarpone, cold butter, and Parmigiano.

Pro tip: for a more intense flavor, use beef broth and red wine in place of vegetable broth and white wine.

Pasta with Leeks, Pecorino and Pancetta starts with diced pancetta browned in a dry skillet until crisp. The leeks soften in the same pan with a ladle of pasta water, then the rigatoni are tossed in with grated pecorino and more cooking water, until the sauce turns creamy.

Pro tip: finish with a grating of lemon zest, as the recipe suggests. It brightens the leeks and balances the salty pecorino and pancetta.

Savory Pie with Leeks and Brie is a rustic tart with a homemade shortcrust of flour, cold butter, egg, and water. A kilo of leeks cooks for about 15 minutes and cools, then mixes with cubed brie, three eggs, and cream. It bakes in an 11-inch pan at 355°F for about 55 minutes.

Pro tip: for a bolder flavor, swap the brie for taleggio.

Leeks and Eggs Baked blanches whole leeks, then layers them with slices of Gruyère in a buttered, breadcrumb-coated 8 x 8-inch dish with sage. After 10 minutes at 356°F, four eggs are cracked into hollows in the corners, and a sprinkle of Parmigiano goes on top before a final bake.

Pro tip: for a creamier dish, add a few tablespoons of béchamel between the layers.

Leek Farinata is a Ligurian chickpea flatbread made with just the green part of the leek. Chickpea flour is whisked with water, oil, salt, pepper, and turmeric, then poured into a greased tray and topped with sautéed leek greens. It bakes at 430°F for about 30 minutes, and it’s vegan and gluten-free.

Pro tip: pour the water into the chickpea flour slowly while whisking, so the batter comes out smooth and free of lumps.

Leeks soften whatever sits next to them: butter in the risotto, a creamy hush around the pasta, a custardy calm inside the tart. Even the green tops, so often left on the cutting board, get their place on the plate. A humble vegetable, and quietly the one that holds the whole table together.