Porri a Letto
SERVES 6–8
My mom used to call these leeks “tucked in bed” as a way of making me be quiet. Whenever we had leeks, she’d make the dish and then say, “Do you want to help me tuck them in?” I’d help her tuck in the prosciutto and then she’d say, “Now you have to be quiet because the leeks are sleeping.” Then I would go around the house telling everyone, “Be quiet! The leeks are sleeping!”
8 leeks, cleaned
½ cup olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
I tbsp. mustard
I tbsp. balsamic glaze (see recipe on here)
2 cups Pecorino cheese, grated
20 slices prosciutto
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cut the top 2 inches off the leeks (the green part), and chop each leek into 3 equal parts. Blanch them for about 10–12 minutes in boiling salted water, remove from water and let them cool down to room temperature.
In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, salt, pepper, mustard, and balsamic glaze. Add the leeks and toss them to coat.
Arrange the leeks in a baking dish, standing up on their ends like soldiers, close together. Cover the leeks with the Pecorino, then lay the prosciutto over the cheese, tucking the slices under the bottoms of the leeks so they are fully covered.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the prosciutto starts to get really crispy. Remove from the oven and, using a sharp knife, cut off one corner for a dramatic presentation.