Parlamento pasta
Back in the late 80's & early 90's I used to work as a croupier at the Adelaide Casino. Along with several dear friends, we worked a rotating roster with a mix of morning, day & nightshifts. Before the late shift began, we always ate across the road at my old hairdressing colleague Joe's restaurant 'Parlamentos' - named perhaps as it was close to Parliament? The meal of choice was usually a delicious, creamy, salty stuffed ravioli and creamy sauce, served with crisp proscuitto. It is a filling and satisfying dish - not an everyday or even weekly dish, but one I've tried to recreate from memory and I make every few months or so. Due to it's level of richness, it needs nothing more than a fresh & clean green salad to balance it out - and a chilled sauvignon blanc such as Mud House - enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 chopped leek
- a packet of chopped bacon or prosciutto
- 200 mls white wine
- 200 ml full cream
- 1 cup of grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
- ground black pepper
- cooked pasta of your choice
- 1 egg to mix through the cooked, hot pasta
Directions
- Step 1 Pan fry the bacon or pecorino until crisp – set aside
- Step 2 Pan fry the leek in the same pan – the fat from the bacon should be more than enough for the leek to soften.
- Step 3 When the leek is soft and slightly browned, add the bacon and turn up the heat.
- Step 4 When it starts to sizzle, add the white wine and using a wooden spoon, mix well to bring all the flavours together.
- Step 5 Let the alcohol cook out and reduce until you have about 2 TB of liquid left in the pan. The leek and bacon will be soft having soaked up all the wine. You should be able to draw a line through the liquid and then you know it has reduced enough.
- Step 6 Turn down the heat to low and add the cream – mix well. After about 5 minutes the mixture should be thickish and it is now time to add the grated cheese and pepper. Mix well and put to one side.
- Step 7 Cook pasta of choice and when drained, mix an egg through the hot pasta.
- Step 8 Mix the pasta and creamy leek & bacon sauce together, top with extra grated cheese and fresh parsley.
- Step 9 Serve with a fresh green salad and chilled white wine – enjoy!
- Step 10
