Buttered Leeks - Porri al Burro

This is a very festive vegetable dish for the holidays!

An elegant, simple and delicious way to serve leeks. 

4 leeks

4 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup water

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup Buttered Breadcrumbs (recipe follows)

Cut off the root ends and the dark green tops of the leeks. Slice in half lengthwise, and rinse under cold running water to remove any dirt or sand. Cut the leeks into julienne strips about 1/4 inch by 3 inches. Place the water and butter into a pan and bring to a simmer. Add the leeks, and simmer until the leeks are tender. You may have to add a little additional water. Add salt and pepper and place in a serving dish and top with the buttered breadcrumbs. Serve immediatly, or place in a warm oven until you are ready to serve. 

Buttered Breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp. butter

1 cup dried breadcrumbs (recipe follows)

salt and pepper to taste (optional)

These breadcrumbs are delicious with just the butter, but if you are topping a mild dish, or you want more seasonings, add the salt and pepper to taste. Heat the butter over medium heat and when the butter is hot add the breadcrumbs and toss to coat. If you are using the salt and pepper add them at this time. Toss once again and remove from the heat.

Dried Breadcrumbs - Pangrattato

You may remove the crusts or leave them on. Place the bread slices on a cookie sheet and place in a preheated 250 degree Fahrenheit oven for 5 to 7 minutes, then turen over the slices and dry out for another 5 to 7 minutes. The bread should be dry and crisp, lighty golden is fine but do not let the slices turn brown. Place in a food processor and pulse until you have reached the desired size of breadcrumbs. If you wish you can grate the bread on a box grater or place the dried slices between two sheets of waxed paper and crush the bread into crumbs with a rolling pin. The bread must be very dry for the last two methods. 

1 slice of dried bread equals about 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs.