Rigatoni with Smoked Salmon & Leeks

Serves 2

This is an incredibly simple and wholesome meal to whip up for a kitchen supper for two or just an evening in for one. The almond milk and leeks mulch together to give such an interesting creamy texture and the combination with lemon, smoked salmon and black pepper is gorgeous. You can use any pasta really, but I like rigatoni as its grooves mean that it soaks up the sauce more than other types of pasta – it’s science ;)

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups of buckwheat rigatoni (or any wholegrain or gluten-free pasta)

100g mild smoked salmon (cut into bite-size pieces)

2 leeks (sliced finely lenth-ways)

1 tbsp of olive oil

juice of half a lemon

1 tbsp of water

2 tsp ground black pepper

2 tbsp of unsweetened almond milk

1 clove of garlic (finely chopped)

pinch of salt

Method:

1.     Place the pasta in a saucepan and cover with water, adding a pinch of salt. Turn on a high heat and bring to the boil.

2.     After about 5 minutes, when the pasta is al dente (depending on the kind of pasta you’re using this may take longer than 5 minutes) remove from the heat, and drain off the water stirring in one of the tablespoons of olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking together.

3.     Taking the another saucepan, spoon the second tablespoon of olive oil and place on a high heat. Once hot, add the garlic, leek and the water. Reduce the heat to a medium simmer and stir continuously until softened (about 5 minutes). Then add the salmon and the almond milk and stir until the sauce has thickened a little.

4.     Add in the pasta and stir until well-coated in the sauce. Sprinkle the black pepper all over, then divide into bowls and serve.