Preparation

Ideal as a side dish or starter. It's at its best when the leeks are still warm.

Leeks

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C and cut the root ends off the leeks, and remove the dark green parts.
2. ARWSSDe leeks in half lengthways and rinse under cold water to remove any dirt.
3. Dry with a clean kitchen towel.
4. Brush the leeks with a tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
5. Place the leeks on a baking tray and roast in the preheated oven for around 15 to 20 minutes, or until they become tender and grill marked, turning halfway through cooking.
6. You can also grill them on a barbecue or in a grill pan on the cooker if you prefer.
7. While the leeks are grilling, take the Stracciatella cheese out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. This will make it easier to spread over the leeks.
8. In a dry frying pan over medium heat, toast the hazelnuts for a few minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.
9. Once toasted, roughly chop the hazelnuts.
10. In the same pan, grill the speck or bacon until browned.

Assembling

1. Remove the grilled leeks from the oven or grill and place them on a serving dish.
2. While the leeks are still hot, spread the Stracciatella on top. The heat from the leeks will melt the cheese slightly, creating a creamy texture.
3. Sprinkle the toasted hazelnuts over the Stracciatella.
4. Season to taste with red pepper flakes
5. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Notes: Stracciatella is the creamy cheese inside the burrata - you can buy a burrata and cut it in 2 to get the Stracciatella.

Recipe by Antony Meneghini.