Soft leeks with ricotta parsley sauce and parmesan breadcrumbs

Name: Soft leeks with ricotta parsley sauce and parmesan breadcrumbs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: European, Italian, Mediterranean
Ingredients: 6-8 leeks halved if very thick, or 10-12 baby leeks; Salt and black pepper; 30g salted butter cubed; Nutmeg for grating, to serve; 3slices stale bread (about 150g), ideally sourdough; 3tbsp olive oil; 20g parmesan finely grated, plus extra for serving; 40g salted butter; 40g plain flour; 350ml whole milk; 2tbsp ricotta or mascarpone; 1large handful parsley finely chopped; 0.5 lemon juice and zest

Instructions

Prep:20minCook:50min

Parsley sauce is making a comeback. I eat it a lot, in various iterations, but here it is one of three things that are very simple to make and work beautifully in harmony. The other two are soft, buttery leeks and cheesy breadcrumbs. Together, these three building blocks make a perfect weekend lunch, either alongside potatoes and greens, or as a side for ham or roast chicken

Updated at: Fri, 31 Oct 2025 23:27:36 GMT