Name: Leek and miso orecchiette
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 50 gm butter, diced; 3 leeks, white and pale green part only, thinly sliced; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 125 ml dry white wine; 55 gm (¼ cup) shiro (white) miso paste (see note); 300 ml pouring cream; 400 gm dried orecchiette; Mustard cress, to serve; Spicy togarashi crumbs; 20 g, butter, diced; 2 tsp sesame oil; 20 gm (½ cup) panko crumbs; 40 gm walnuts, finely chopped; 1 tsp shichimi togarashi (see note)

This umami-packed dish riffs on the classic Italian partnership of creamy pasta with crunchy pangrattato.

Ingredients

50 gm butter, diced

3 leeks, white and pale green part only, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

125 ml dry white wine

55 gm (¼ cup) shiro (white) miso paste (see note)

300 ml pouring cream

400 gm dried orecchiette

Mustard cress, to serve

Spicy togarashi crumbs

20 g, butter, diced

2 tsp sesame oil

20 gm (½ cup) panko crumbs

40 gm walnuts, finely chopped

1 tsp shichimi togarashi (see note)

Method

1.For crumbs, combine butter and oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add panko and walnuts, and stir until golden (2 minutes). Remove from heat, add togarashi and season to taste.

2.Melt butter in a wide saucepan over medium heat, add leek and garlic, and cook, stirring continuously, until translucent (5-6 minutes). Add wine, bring to a simmer and stir until almost evaporated (2 minutes). Remove 1 cup leek mixture and set aside. Add miso and cream to pan, and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, season to taste, then process in a blender until smooth.

3.Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until almost al dente (6-7 minutes). Drain (reserve 125ml pasta water), return to pan with blended leek mixture, reserved leek mixture and pasta water and stir to coat pasta.

4.To serve, sprinkle pasta with crumbs and mustard cress.