Rigatoni With Creamed Leeks & Chive-Y Bread Crumbs

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Salt it like it owes you money.
2. Trim the hairy root ends of the leeks. Quarter them lengthwise, then slice thinly crosswise, dark green parts and all. If they're dirty, rinse the slices in a mesh strainer and pat dry.
3. Thinly slice the garlic.
4. Thinly slice the chives.
5. In a large Dutch oven, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium until the foaming stops.
6. Add the leeks, garlic and a big pinch of salt and cook until bright and fragrant but not yet soft, 3 minutes. Add 1½ cups water and simmer over medium, stirring often, until the water is gone and the leeks are tender, 15 to 25 minutes.
7. Stir in 1 cup heavy cream, bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and lots of black pepper. Take it off the heat and cover to keep warm. Lots of pepper. It cuts through all that cream. Don't be shy here.
8. In a small nonstick skillet, combine ½ cup panko and a few glugs of olive oil over medium. Cook, stirring often, until deeply golden, 4 to 7 minutes. Move to a small bowl to cool. Stay close. Bread crumbs are pale, pale, pale, burnt.
9. Add the rigatoni to the boiling water and stir well. Cook until al dente, according to the package. Before draining, scoop out a big measuring cup of pasta water.
10. Add the pasta to the creamed leeks with a big splash of pasta water and cook over medium, stirring constantly and adding a few handfuls of Parmesan one at a time. Thin with more pasta water as needed, and keep it looser than you think, because the cream tightens as it cools.
11. Once all the cheese is in, grate in the zest of ½ lemon and squeeze in the juice of the whole lemon. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
12. Stir the chives into the cooled bread crumbs and season with salt. Divide the pasta among bowls and top with the chive-y crumbs, more pepper and more Parm.