ESPOSITO PASTA WITH LEEK SAUCE

2 lbs. leeks, well washed and trimmed of the dark green stem
l/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsps. butter
2 cloves galric cut into thin slivers
l/2 cup dry vermouth
l/2 cup chicken broth
l-l/2 to 2 tsps. salt
pepper to taste
l lb. fusilli
water for cooking the pasta, reserving l/4 cup of water for the sauce
l tbsps. salt
Cut the leeks into thin rings. You should have about 4 cups. Set aside. In large saute pan (l2x3″) heat olive oil and butter and stir to blend the two. Stir in the leeks and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until leeks begin to soften. Stir in garlic and cook for 2 mins. pressing on the garlic slivers. Raise heat to high and stir in vermouth. Cook over high heat for 2 mins. Lower heat and stir in chicken broth, s&p. Simmer sauce for 20-30 mins. or until the leeks have become very creamy. Cover the pan, set aside, and keep warm while the fusilli are cooking. Cook the fusilli in 6 qts of rapidly boiling water to which l tbsps. of salt has been added. Do not overcook the fusilli; they should retain their shape and be cooked through, but not mushy. One way to test for doneness is to break a piece of pasta in half and if any trace of flour is evident the pasta is not cooked. Drain pasta, reserving l/4 cup of cooking water. Transfer pasta to the saute pan with the leek sauce. Stir in the water and mix the fuscilli and sauce over med heat until well blended. Transfer fusilli and leek sauce to shallow platter and serve immediately.
Serves 4 to 6 Maryann Esposito “Bringing Italy Home”