SockGoblin
Well-known member
Baked Leek and Egg Gratin: A Hearty Roman Winter Dish
When it comes to Tuscan cuisine, few dishes evoke the same sense of warmth and comfort as Rachel Roddy's baked leek and egg gratin. This week, she revisits a recipe that brought her joy at a restaurant near Arezzo, where a summer meal featured individual terracotta dishes piled high with roasted leeks, bechamel-enriched cheese sauce, and hard-boiled eggs.
Rody's take on the dish simplifies the ingredients while retaining its soul. She begins by trimming the roots of four large leeks, removing any damaged or tough leaves, and rinsing them under cold water to prevent splitting. The leeks are then cut into 4cm-long logs, which are arranged in a buttered baking dish like standing logs on a forest floor.
The leeks are first roasted alone at 200C for 30 minutes, until tender and just golden. Then, the hard-boiled eggs – boiled for eight minutes to perfection – are added to the mixture. The bechamel sauce is made by melting butter in a pan, whisking in flour to create a paste, and gradually adding milk to create a rich, cheese-studded sauce.
Rody's recipe adds just five more minutes to the cooking time when the bechamel is freshly made, which results in a gratin that can be devoured in under 10 minutes. The dish is finished with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a dash of nutmeg.
This winter comfort food is best served with a crisp green salad and a tangy vinegary dressing to cut the richness of the sauce. Whether you're cooking for one or a crowd, baked leek and egg gratin is a satisfying and flavorful dish that will leave you feeling cozy and content on a cold winter's night.
When it comes to Tuscan cuisine, few dishes evoke the same sense of warmth and comfort as Rachel Roddy's baked leek and egg gratin. This week, she revisits a recipe that brought her joy at a restaurant near Arezzo, where a summer meal featured individual terracotta dishes piled high with roasted leeks, bechamel-enriched cheese sauce, and hard-boiled eggs.
Rody's take on the dish simplifies the ingredients while retaining its soul. She begins by trimming the roots of four large leeks, removing any damaged or tough leaves, and rinsing them under cold water to prevent splitting. The leeks are then cut into 4cm-long logs, which are arranged in a buttered baking dish like standing logs on a forest floor.
The leeks are first roasted alone at 200C for 30 minutes, until tender and just golden. Then, the hard-boiled eggs – boiled for eight minutes to perfection – are added to the mixture. The bechamel sauce is made by melting butter in a pan, whisking in flour to create a paste, and gradually adding milk to create a rich, cheese-studded sauce.
Rody's recipe adds just five more minutes to the cooking time when the bechamel is freshly made, which results in a gratin that can be devoured in under 10 minutes. The dish is finished with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a dash of nutmeg.
This winter comfort food is best served with a crisp green salad and a tangy vinegary dressing to cut the richness of the sauce. Whether you're cooking for one or a crowd, baked leek and egg gratin is a satisfying and flavorful dish that will leave you feeling cozy and content on a cold winter's night.
! Baked leeks and eggs are literally the perfect comfort food combo. I can already imagine serving it to my kiddos after a long day of school 
. And you know what's even better? It's so easy peasy to make, like Rach Roddy says, just five extra minutes with the bechamel sauce... game-changer for busy parents like me! 
I'm totally trying this out this weekend and I'll let you guys know how it turns out 
. Has anyone tried this recipe before? What did you think of it?
? And 4cm-long logs? What even is that? 
Can't we just use regular old leek slices like everyone else? 
, but at the same time, I'm all about trying new stuff, so I think it'd be awesome to experiment with different types of cheese or add some spicy kick to balance out the richness 
just thinking about this baked leek and egg gratin! The idea of tender roasted leeks, creamy bechamel sauce, and perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs in one dish is like, total comfort food heaven 
. And the best part? It's ridiculously easy to make too! 
I need to try this ASAP and serve it with a green salad for a cozy night in 
️. can u imagine having that with a green salad on a cold winter's night? perfect 
. And what's with the hard-boiled eggs? Who thought it was a good idea to add a raw egg to a baked dish? 
rachel roddy is a genius for simplifying the ingredients and still making it super flavorful 
now im craving another bowl of that creamy goodness 
i love how rachael rodry simplified it without losing the essence of the original dish, using less ingredients makes it super accessible for us mere mortals lol... and that bechamel sauce tho! 
my partner came home from work and walked in the door to a warm, comforting smell coming from the oven... he took one bite and said "what's that?" and then he knew exactly what it was - we're total fans of rachel roddy's recipes now 
i love how she simplifies the ingredients but still manages to pack so much flavor into this dish 
. Back in my day, we used to make some pretty decent comfort food, but this recipe is like a big ol' hug in a bowl. I mean, who doesn't love a good bechamel sauce? And the addition of parmesan cheese and nutmeg takes it to the next level 
and the best part is, it's perfect for cozy nite ins w/ a good book & a cuppa 
can't wait 2 make it & try it out 
the way she uses just a few ingredients to make it so rich and satisfying is genius, i mean who needs all those fancy schmancy ingredients when you got leeks, eggs, and cheese? 
also that serving it with a salad on the side is pure genius, it's like a match made in heaven! 
. its perfect for cold winter nights when u just wanna curl up with somethin comforting & satisfying . i've been makin all sorts of recipes lately but dis one is def my fave