Buttery Marmite Pasta with Cheddar and Leeks

Trust me... It's not traditional but, it works.

This week has all been about comfort food: Hearty pasta with a surprising sauce

“You’re lying. It hasn’t. Stop winding me up” Gabby sleepily murmured, not wanting to fall for a lazily simplistic trap.

“No, honestly it has! Take a look for yourself!” I excitedly fizzed back.

The rumours had started circulating late last night, a little whisper on the wind that it could happen, but no grown-up really believed it.

With a deep, suspicious, slumbersome, sigh, Gabby emerged from her duvet cocoon and peeked out of the window at the head of our bed. Before her, lay a pure lace quilt gently resting upon the world outside. The rumours were true.

“SNOW!” she beamed back.

There is something magical about the world when it’s cryogenically preserved with snow and ice. These last few days have been beautiful. Breathtakingly cold, a chill that hits the back of your nostrils, needle-sharp and can make your teeth sing. But, also stunningly bright and sunny. It’s been a good excuse to use one of my favourite words: Apricity - the feeling of warmth from the sun on a cold winter’s day.

This week’s recipe is using a seasonal favourite - Leeks

Living on a boat, ‘house people’ often presume that your home must be freezing during the winter months. Speak to any boater about the questions they’re most frequently asked and ‘Is it cold in winter?’ must come pretty close to the top… alongside the constant fascination of what happens to our loos…

The thing about this way of life is that the ‘ber months are incredibly cosy. At the heart of our little floating home is our sturdy range. An Esse Ironheart, responsible for providing heating, hot water and the majority of our cooking all winter long. From now until the primaveral days, it will be burning almost 24/7 with a neat kettle crown nestled above the firebox.

Like many, as the temperature starts to drop, comfort cravings start to creep in. A few days ago I braced the chill to put my beehive to bed until spring and cleared the allotment ready for some well-rotted muck mulch. Cold to the core, all I could think about was the most simple but reassuring of foods: Buttery toast slathered in marmite and wolfed down with a gallon of hot tea. Delicious but not the most sustaining of meals. And so, instead, this recipe was born.

It’s not traditional in any respect and I know it sounds like the sort of thing you’d make after a drunk night out… But, take a chance on this snug bowl of homely pasta, cheese and marmite.

Recipe

Feeds 4 comfortably, takes around 20 mins

Ingredients: