Baked leeks with prosciutto and ciabatta crumble

Babiche Martens

I love the humble leek but there are few things worse than an undercooked one so ensure you cook them until soft. Sliced and pan-fried leeks in a good dollop of butter are pretty yummy also. Add some chorizo to this dish and it becomes a meal on its own. There are endless possibilities with leeks — don’t forget they are far more than just a base for soups and stews.

Ingredients

4 slices	Ciabatta bread, torn into rough pieces (Main)
4 slices	Prosciutto (Main)
2	Leeks
20 g	Butter
2	Garlic cloves
2 Tbsp	Flour
½ cup	White wine
1 ½ cups	Milk
½ cup	Parmesan cheese, grated
2 Tbsp	Chopped parsley

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 180C. Place the ciabatta on a baking tray and crisp in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove.
2. In a frying pan, cook the prosciutto until crispy, then tear into rough pieces.
3. Wash the leeks and trim ends. Cut into 6cm pieces. Boil a pot of salted water and cook the leeks for 5 minutes until soft. Cut them in half lengthways and place in a baking dish.
4. Melt the butter in a saucepan with the garlic. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the wine, then gradually add the milk, stirring until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the leeks, sprinkle with parmesan, ciabatta croutons and prosciutto. Place into the oven for 10 minutes until golden, hot and bubbling.

More homely recipes from Angela

• Beef goulash
• Viv's plum pud