Fettuccine with italian sausage and leeks
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb pork sausage
- 2 leeks , thinly sliced
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon butter
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 lb fettuccine
- 1 ¾ oz grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 2 tablespoons parsley , chopped
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Remove casing from sausage and brown in a large skillet with the oil.
Add leeks: cook for three minutes and deglaze with white wine. Cook until liquid reduces by half. Season with salt and black pepper; simmer 1 minute.
Cook pasta according to package directions but drain 3 minutes prior the end. Add to skillet with 2 cups of cooking water and toss with the sauce.
Add butter and mix well.
Sprinkle with grated Parmigiano Reggianocheese and garnish with parsley before serving.
Food History
The leek is a fairly close relative of the onion, even though it has a more delicate flavor. Leeks are one of the few ingredients that were considered a fundamental source of nutrition during periods of famine of the Middle Ages. Leeks have been consumed since ancient times: even if we do not have the exact date of when they discovered, there is no doubt that they were cultivated already 4,000 years ago along the banks of the Nile, as illustrated in the hieroglyphics inside the pyramids.
Even the workers who built the giant buildings ate, among other things, leeks and onions.
From the Nile Valley, leeks spread to the Mediterranean coasts, becoming extremely popular in ancient Rome, where the Roman Emperor Nero was given the nickname “il porrofago”(or leek eater) for his habit of eating a lot of leeks to clear his voice.
Did you know that…
According to an ancient legend, on the eve of a battle against the Saxons, Saint David advised the Welsh to wear leeks on their hats to make them stand out from their enemies? After a grand victory, the leeks became one of the symbols of the Welsh, who wore hats with leeks on Saint David’s Day.
Other suggested recipes
