Recipe and photography by Nourished by Talia
Ingredients
250g fusilli pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
60g butter
1 small leek, finely sliced
1 small broccoli
60g plain flour
1 litre milk
1-2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
Pinch of nutmeg, grated
100g strong mature cheddar, grated
100g Gruyère, grated
100g kale, torn
75g baby spinach
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the topping:
100g extra cheddar or Gruyère, for topping
50g dried breadcrumbs
Zest of 1 lemon
Olive oil
Method
Separate the broccoli stem from the florets. Cut the florets into small pieces and finely chop the stems, keeping separately. Cook the fusilli in boiling salted water until al dente. In the last 3 minutes, add the broccoli florets to the pan to blanch until bright green and just cooked, then drain together with the pasta, reserving a splash of pasta water.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan or ovenproof dish and sauté the leek and chopped broccoli stems until soft and fragrant. Push the leeks slightly to the side, add the butter, and melt. Sprinkle in the flour to make a roux, stirring constantly to incorporate with the leeks. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth and thickened, letting the leeks infuse the sauce with flavour.
Stir in the Dijon mustard, wholegrain mustard and nutmeg. Take off the heat and add the grated cheddar and Gruyère and season to taste generously with salt and black pepper. Add the kale and spinach and stir gently for a few minutes until just wilted into the sauce.
Toss the drained pasta, broccoli and pasta water into the sauce so everything is well coated. Pour everything into a baking dish. Mix the extra cheese with breadcrumbs and lemon zest and sprinkle over the top. Give it a drizzle of olive oil and bake for 20–25 minutes until bubbling and lightly golden.
