Watch Donal's Family Kitchen, Wednesdays on RTÉ One at 7:30pm.
Ingredients
Serves: 4
- 400g bucatini
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 150g best quality pancetta or smoked streaky bacon, thickly cut
- 2 small leeks, cleaned and finely sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
- A few sprigs thyme, leaves picked
- ¼ head savoy cabbage, in 2cm slices
- 250ml double cream
- 50g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Method
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt. Add the bucatini and cook until al dente (approx. 9-10 minutes).
- Place a large frying pan over a medium high heat and add the oil and pancetta. Cook for five minutes until crispy, tossing in the oil to evenly brown.
- Add the leeks, season and cook for 5 minutes before adding the garlic, thyme and savoy. Cook until the cabbage is just tender.
- Pour in the cream, bring to a steady simmer and allow to cook until reduced by half. Check the seasoning before adding the cooked pasta and half the cheese along with a little of the pasta water. Stir through until the pasta is completely coated in the sauce.
- Serve immediately with plenty more Parmesan cheese and a generous grind of black pepper.
